


Twisting Chains

by UrsineEnchantment



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Awkward Conversations, Awkward Crush, Awkwardness, Body Image, Bodyswap, Crack Treated Seriously, Emotional Baggage, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gender Issues, Gender or Sex Swap, Humor, Identity Swap, Inappropriate Humor, Loss of Identity, Male-Female Friendship, Persona 5 Spoilers, Secret Crush, Teenagers, i think it applies, idk if this actually counts as crack but considering some of the humor, this actually is gonna have just as much serious shit as goofy awkward humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-02 10:56:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14543220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UrsineEnchantment/pseuds/UrsineEnchantment
Summary: ((Title might change))A single chain may be broken with effort. However, if one twists several chains together, thy bond becomes far stronger...When a bizarre attack in Mementos leaves Akira and Makoto in one another's bodies, they must struggle to assume the other's life until they can figure out how to reverse the effects. How will they navigate the tightrope walk between learning enough to maintain their façade, and respecting the privacy of the being that they're impersonating? How much knowledge is too much? How much can you learn about yourself, through the eyes of someone else?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TFW you end up in the body of the person you actually have a major crush on but you've just barely started being friends and you're terrified things will get weird c':
> 
> I had this idea one night and it snowballed faster than anything I've written I swear, I've already got so many other chapter bits written and I have so many notes and know exactly where I want to go with it, it's gonna be a blast!
> 
> Also I've always loved the bodyswap trope because it's funny and awkward and really interesting to play around with. Get ready for a nice mix of inappropriate humor, bad acting and awkward shenanigans, and also some deeper angst and some looks into gender inequality and body image. This won't ever get outright preachy though, I promise.
> 
> This takes place after Kaneshiro's Palace, but before Futaba's. Imagine they finished the Palace a few weeks early so they have a lot of freetime (with that nice tension about whether the change of heart worked). Akira's probably hung out with Makoto once or twice, but they haven't dipped into anything deeper along her link like the Eiko plot. Also Ann and Ryuji and Mona totally know that they both are perfect matches who are meant to be together, but Akira and Makoto are awkward dorks who absolutely have no idea the other feels the same way RIP. They've just barely become friends there's no way they'd risk flirting.
> 
> I understand the use of pronouns and names might be a little confusing at first, but hopefully that will clear up as we move further into the plot.

"There they are..." Mona's voice rumbled through the speakers as they prepared to file out of the vehicle. "Joker, any changes to the line-up before we talk to them?"  
  
"Yeah. Skull, I'll need you to swap out with Mona. Fox, swap with Panther."  
  
"Man, I fight through all those weak Shadows, and the cat gets the real fight?!? How's that fair?"  
  
"I'm _not_ a cat!" the speakers hissed. "Maybe Joker just recognizes that _I_ have the _real_ talent in the group!"  
  
"Both of you, knock it off." he commanded, narrowing his eyes as he stepped out of the van. He gave the metal side a reassuring pat, glancing at the gray-masked man that had climbed out next to him. "Wind increases the damage from Panther's flames. There's nothing more to it than that." He pointedly ignored his rowdier friend's eyeroll and 'Yeah, yeah...', instead turning towards the fourth and newest member of his current party. "How are you feeling? Need anything before we go in?"  
  
Queen shook her head, running slim fingers over the blades of one of her knuckle weapons to ensure they were still in proper fighting condition. "I'm both highly energized and unhurt. Ready when you are, Joker."  
  
"Alright then. Skull, Fox, stay on standby in case we need backup. Everyone else, lets go have a little chat with our target..."  
  
When he'd approached the shadow-encircled figure, he hadn't expected, or seen, anything out of the ordinary. These Mementos missions were a familiar procedure now: Go on a long road trip through curving railroad tracks, jump out every so often to fight the monsters their driver bashed into (with remarkable, terrifying force, actually. He had to admit, he hoped he was never in a car with Makoto if she had true 'Road Rage'...), and then after several floors, reach their true target and fight them. It was a formula that hadn't changed in the several requests they'd taken care of, and he'd actually started to find the whole routine a little calming, compared to the new chaos and challenges every time they'd encountered a Palace.  
  
As they soon found out towards the end of the battle though, this mission would become nothing close to ordinary...  
  
The shadow was slumping, panting raggedly as he retreated from his last melee attack with his dagger in hand. Makoto had landed a savage nuclear blast right before tagging him in, and together they'd clearly done some damage. It would only take a few more hits to bring their opponent down...  
  
"You'll...pay for that!" the creature hissed, whipping a limb towards him. It was a frantic, desperate movement, and despite the feeling of energy buzzing through him, he didn't feel any ill effects. No confusion, no hunger or sleepiness, nothing.   
  
 _That was actually pitiful. I almost feel bad for it. You really can't do anything now, can you?  
  
_ Panther had rushed forwards without him even needing to give the order, Carmen bursting into existence alongside her as searing heat filled the air. The shadow screeched as the flames began to eat at it, wrapping around its body like a tether. Panther leaped out of the way as it tried to swing at her, and a yowl announced the arrival of her handsome rescuer (or at least, that's how he was sure Mona would describe it later).   
  
"Zorro, show your might!"  
  
Howling winds swept past them all, making it difficult to keep their footing while they watched the flames grow higher, fed into an all-consuming blaze. Distorted, tortured screams rang in their ears for several seconds before the shadow disappeared, the flames and wind slowly dissolving to reveal the collapsed form of the human behind all of this.  
  
"I...I'm sorry...I don't know what I was thinking..."  
  
"Maybe that's 'cuz you weren't thinkin' at all, dumbass!" Skull huffed, eager to at least get a _verbal_ lick in, if he couldn't land a physical blow.  
  
"Y-You're right, I wasn't thinking...How should I go about fixing this?"  
  
"I believe that will be up to _you_ to decide." Fox murmured. "However, an apology to each of those you have harmed may be an acceptable start."  
  
"Yeah, then you can work on dealing with all the other stuff!" Panther added, trying to offer a slight smile of reassurance.  
  
"Okay...I'll do my best to fix all of the damage I've caused! Thank you, Phantom Thieves!"  
  
As they faded away, that familiar glowing orb began floating into view. It was funny. No matter how many times he did this, he was always a little in awe of its beauty. Maybe it was just because the scenery around here was so depressing in contrast. Yusuke would probably have an interesting tangent of thought on the subject...  
  
He was in the middle of making a mental note to ask the artist later, but his thought process was shattered by a few gasps and murmurs.  
  
"Uh, _hey?_ I know you're new to the club 'n all, but you've been here before! What the hell are ya' doin'?!?" Skull snapped.  
  
"Skull, don't be so rude!" Mona hissed. "But Queen, that _is_ Joker's job!"  
  
 _The fuck?  
  
_ He could hear Panther and Fox whispering to each other too. What were they all going on about? Raising an eyebrow, he stopped reaching for the treasure, turning to see what on earth Queen was doing that was causing such a fuss (which shouldn't be anything, given that she was one of the more responsible people on this rag-tag team).  
  
Only to see, actually, that Queen wasn't with the group at all.  
  
Instead, _Joker_ was standing with the others, looking unusually horrified. Well, he supposed he _would_ be horrified if he was _in two places at once._ This was a little too strange for him to process, even by Metaverse standards. _  
  
"What. The fuck."  
  
_ Oh geez. That wasn't his voice. He'd spoken, he'd felt his mouth move, but that was _not_ the sound that should have come out of it. That was _Makoto's_ voice.  
  
"J-Joker...I believe something... _odd,_ may have occurred..." His own body was taking on a pretty timid pose, nearly curling in on itself as it stammered out the sentence. "Er, d-during our target's last attack, did you feel a strange surge of energy run through you?"  
  
"Yeah..." He struggled to even force that single word out, his brain short-circuiting as the reality of what had happened began to set in. Slowly, he held out his hand, noting the lack of red gloves and the presence some _very_ sharp knuckles. Nope, those were not supposed to be there. Neither were the heavy pieces of armor on his shoulders, or the scarf wrapped around his neck.  
  
The more he became aware of, the less he wanted to be aware of anything at all, his stomach twisting into a knot. Oh fuck. _Oh fuck.  
  
_ He could roll with most of the crazy stuff this new life as The Wildcard entailed, but this was too much. This was way, _way_ too much.  
  
"Uh, Mona. Quick question." This was so disconcerting, hearing the wrong voice say what he was thinking. "Is there an ability Personas can learn that causes body-switching?"  
  
"Uh..." Mona's eyes seemed like they were even bigger than usual as he turned to glance between him and, well, _him.  
  
"Holy shit..." _Skull gasped, slack-jawed.  
  
"My, my, this is certainly an unforeseen turn of events." Panther simply nodded along to Fox's statement, for once completely lost for words.  
  
" _Well,_ Mona?" Joker's voice had an edge to it, irritation beginning to mix with the panic. The creature gulped, tapping his stubby paws together and backing up a pace.   
  
"Uh, w-well, if I'm honest...I've never seen an ability like that before...and I know about nearly every Persona ability! Whatever our target had, it must be extremely powerful, and extraordinarily rare!" His eyes were shining with awe as he made that next statement, but a glare from Joker quickly shut his excitement down.  
  
"But we've already defeated the Shadow and sent it away! So how are we supposed to change back again!?!"  
  
He hurried to step in front of Mona, eager to protect his companion from Makoto's anxious wrath. Wow...he actually did feel pretty powerful with these knuckles on. He was tempted to raise them up in a guarding stance, just to test them out, but let his hands stay at his sides. If he wanted to placate the group, he needed to maintain an approachable, unworried demeanor. "Hold on. Before we panic, remember, this is a cognitive world, right? None of our other status effects have lasted outside of Palaces or Mementos. Maybe if we just leave, we'll switch back."  
  
"That is a good point..." Panther chimed in, twisting her whip in her hands while she thought. "I don't think we've got any other options to try, either..."  
  
"Indeed. Perhaps if Joker had that skill card, I could replicate it for us to use with one of our own Personas, but that is not the case..." Fox sighed. "We truly have no way of attaining an ability that we are unfamiliar with."  
  
"Alright, I'm gonna activate the Goho-M. I don't think we want to try fighting like this." Okay, so actually, he would kind of _love_ trying out fighting with these weapons. But no matter how much he would kill for the chance, it definitely wasn't worth the risk of getting hurt while they were down here. They were both out of their element, and he had no idea if they could still summon their own Personas, or even each others'. They could just be powerless, sitting ducks...  
  
He held out his hand, but Mona trotted over to Makoto instead, holding up his paws until red gloves grabbed the device. "Just tap it twice, Joker!"  
  
"Uh, you know I'm over _here,_ right?"  
  
"Yeah, but _she's_ you right now, so she gets to do it!" Mona mewed, flashing him a smug little grin.   
_  
You're enjoying this, you little monster...no tuna for you tonight!  
_  
Skull snickered. " _Come onnn,_ how often do we ever get to do the cool leader stuff? Let 'er have a turn!"  
  
 _If you wanted to do the 'cool leader stuff', you should have thought about it before electing me!_  
  
"Okay, is everyone ready? I, um, I-I'm going to press it now!" They all stepped closer together as 'Joker' pressed the button, and in a flash of red and black swirls they were back at the subway entrance. "Alright, let's head out of here then, and pray this works..."  
  
~~~  
  
Unfortunately, once they found themselves back in their hideout near the railway, nothing had changed for the better. The only thing that had shifted was their clothing.  
  
"No..." Makoto was panicking now, spinning around to stare at the body she was still trapped in. "Morgana???"  
  
"U-Uhhhhh..." _  
  
_"Morgana, say something. _Tell me_ there's a way to fix this."  
  
"I don't know! I've never seen this happen before!" Morgana hissed, fur bristling nervously. "I mean, it should have changed back, but then again, sometimes things in Palaces affect the physical being, l-like in the case of mental shutdowns, so I guess it's possible for it to have transferred over...We also have to consider that Mementos is really different from Palaces, and we don't know everything about its mysteries yet, so-"  
  
"Are you saying we're _stuck_ like this!?!"  
  
"I-I'm, um, I'm not saying that! I'm just saying we don't have a lot of information, so..." Morgana took a deep breath, steeling himself. "It may take a while to figure out how to change you back..."  
  
Shit. Without the Shadow who caused this, was there really a chance this change might be permanent? It was...definitely _a lot more_ than anyone had signed up for when they joined the Thieves. Granted, his life had probably improved, actually, but...being stuck as a 'worthless delinquent' wasn't a fair deal. They definitely had to get to the bottom of this.  
  
"Actually..." he spoke slowly, furrowing his brows as he considered his next words. "I _might_ have an idea on how to get a Persona with that ability...it's probably gonna take some time though, so we'll have to manage until I can look into it." _  
_  
"Woah, hold up for a sec here...So if you guys are stuck like this for a while...like, for a few days or somethin'..." Ryuji placed a hand to his chin, looking like he was actually deep in thought for the first time in his life.  
  
"Y-Yes?" It was odd, hearing his own voice say something with such hesitance.  
  
"What?" And just the same, he was sure it was unsettling for Makoto to hear her own ask something so bluntly.  
  
"You're _totally_ gonna see each other's _junk!"_ Ryuji's face was torn between baffled, eyes nearly bugging out of his head, and _horribly_ amused, wearing the biggest, most shit-eating grin he'd ever seen on his friend's face in the time he'd known him. Well, after today, it might just be ex-friend. Or _deceased_ friend, if the way Ann had just back-handed him across the cheek was any indication of his future. Despite the clear pain he was in, Ryuji simply darted to dodge another blow, slinging an arm around Akira (or at least, Akira's body). "So, how does it feel-wait! Shit, you're in the other one aint'cha?!?" Soon enough, the arm was nearly choking Makoto's neck instead, and he was struck by just how much taller Ryuji was now. "Dude, how does it feel to have tits? I mean, I guess she's slim, but like-"  
  
 _"Ryuji..."_ A dark murmur from Ann sent a chill down his (well, he guessed Makoto's) spine. A warning.  
  
Unfortunately, Ryuji hadn't seemed to be listening, still snickering and elbowing his shoulder. "Wait, holy shit, it's gotta be even weirder down _there,_ right? I mean, without your b-"  
  
"RYUJI!!! Not. Another. Word. Or _you're_ going to be the one who finds out what it's like to live without any balls!" They may not be in the Metaverse anymore, but he could _swear_ flames were coming off of Ann now. Thankfully, even his densest friend seemed to sense that he'd gone too far, and swiftly backed away from the approaching threat, raising his hands in surrender.   
  
"S-Sorry, sorry! G-Guess that was kinda TMI!"  
  
"Don't apologize to _me!_ What about _them!?!_ Especially Makoto, that's _her_ chest you're making pigheaded comments about!"  
  
"Shit, you're right! My bad, Makoto!" He rubbed the back of his neck, turning towards...  
  
"Wrong one! Over there, remember?"  
  
"Habit! Cut me some slack! It's hard keepin' track when the faces don't match who's in 'em!" He finally turned towards the taller body, ducking his head. "Sorry, Makoto."  
  
"It's..." She hesitated, her face bright red as she redirected her gaze towards the ground (only to reach up just in time to stop the glasses from slipping off the bridge of her nose). "I-I, er, I believe Akira and I will need to speak in pr-private for a moment..." she stammered, ducking away from the group and nearly tripping as she misjudged his usual distance between steps. She soon found the correct stride though and increased her pace, clearly eager to put some distance between them and the others.  
  
His own face was just as hot as he hurried to catch up. He wasn't sure what was worse: the awkwardness of Ryuji bringing those questions up in front of everyone, or the fact that he had been trying and _failing_ to not think of those specific body parts since he'd found himself with them...  
  
Damn, this skirt was awkward. He'd thought about experimenting with wearing one a few times, but in this new form, it was just uncomfortable. He kept finding his hands reaching down to press the fabric against his thighs (oh geez, _her_ thighs), half-afraid the breeze from walking was going to expose something.  
  
She finally paused to catch her breath near the stairway, out of the way from the majority of the shops. He leaned against the wall, ready to shove his hands in his pockets before he came to the startling realization that he no longer had any. His hands toyed with themselves uncertainly before he finally settled for crossing his arms over his chest, clearing his throat. "So. Interesting turn of events."  
  
"Er, yes, it certainly is..." she murmured, clasping her hands together. "Please don't slouch like that. I'd rather you not destroy my back with your... _unique_ posture." There had been an attempted bit of humor in there somewhere, but it was lost in the awkward smile on the face staring at him. Ugh...even if he normally found her vocabulary entrancing to listen to, hearing that refined tone coming out of his own mouth was definitely a bit unsettling...  
  
"Right, sorry." He tried his best to stand up straight, bringing his legs closer together in what he hoped passed for a more proper pose.   
  
His own face nodded approvingly, but soon glanced away. "S-So...um, I hate to say it, b-but Ryuji did bring up a quite crucial point..." The reddened patch of skin was spreading, blush creeping up the neck and ears to reach the mess of black hair. "I-If we're going to be stuck like this for a few days, w-we need to discuss certain...b-boundaries..."  
  
"Y-Yeah..." He'd hoped to sound a little less nervous than that, but his voice had completely cracked, his throat going dry. He couldn't even look at her (himself?), directing his focus towards the bustling shoppers on the other side of the hallway.   
  
"A-Alright...I thinks it's rather clear that, um, th-there will be times when we'll have to...e-expose certain areas..."  
  
"Uh-huh..."  
  
"S-So, um...I propose that w-we, er, both promise not t-to, you know, l-look too thoroughly...just a quick glance if needed d-during hygienic activities..."  
  
"R-Right."  
  
"And, um..." He just barely caught a deeper whisper of ' _Oh goodness, I can't believe I'm about to say this...'_. His body took a deep breath and face-palmed, holding the silence for another minute. "N-Neither of us are even going to _think_ about doing anything... _p-private_ with these bodies, c-correct? Those sort of activities are entirely off-limits!"  
  
A fresh wave of heat ran through him so quickly that he thought he might burst into ashes, mortification filling every fibre of his, er, _her_ body. "N-No, nonono, o-of course not! I-I would _never-_ er, a-and I d-don't want _you_ doing that with my-" This voice was going downright shrill, but he had to assure her that there was _no way in hell_ he would consider a violation like that. "Th-That's _totally_ cr-crossing the line, a-and-"  
  
"A-Akira, _quiet,_ people are staring!" A deeper tone hushed him, panicked grey eyes staring down at him. They stayed silent, waiting with bated breath for the few concerned gazes to turn away. Once they did, she sighed heavily. "Don't worry, Akira. I believe you, and I trust you. After everything Ann told me about your first mission as Thieves, I know you wouldn't do anything of the sort. I just wanted to make sure to clarify things, for both of us."  
  
"Alright. I trust you too. We'll get through this as best we can, and we won't snoop or anything."  
  
"Of course. We _will_ need to handle each other's lives convincingly until we can fix this though, so if you require some personal details, I don't mind sharing a few."  
  
"Same here. Mona will be there too, so he can give you the rundown on most of what you'll need to know. If you have any questions, just text me."   
  
"Oh, that's right...We'll need to swap phones, just in case certain people call."  
  
"Good thinking. Mine's already in my pocket, and I don't use a password. Just _don't_ go through my browser history."  
  
He couldn't help snorting at the nervous look on her (his) face.   
  
"Relax, Makoto, I'm kidding. There's nothing weird there. Oh, but don't read the individual texts from our friends. Just because we're getting a closer look at each other's lives doesn't mean we can dig into theirs'. I won't touch the texts on your phone either."  
  
"Of course. I wouldn't dream of breaching their trust so soon after I've gained you all as friends. You'll have to wait until we get back to the group for mine, though. It's in my bag, with Ann."  
  
"Your uniform sucks, no offense. How do you live without any pockets?"  
  
"It's a scam to force us all to buy purses or extra jackets. Welcome to womanhood, Akira."  
  
"Oh...uh, speaking of _womanhood_...one last awkward question?"  
  
 _"Yes?"_ The dread was clear in her voice.  
  
To be fair, he wasn't exactly excited to ask this either, but it was definitely necessary information. "Y-Your, uh... _time of the month_ isn't supposed to hit this week, is it? Because if it is, I'll need a crash course. I-I know some of the basics, b-but for _you_ specifically-"  
  
She cut him off before he could even finish, wearing a more mortified expression than he thought his face was even capable of making. "Don't worry, you _won't_ have to deal with that!!!"  
  
"Gotta admit, that's a relief." he chuckled, although she didn't return the amusement like he'd hoped. Instead, she was staring at the floor, lost in thought. His own smile fell, and he tugged at the edge of his skirt again. Sure, there were a few jokes he could make about their situation, but the truth of the matter was, this really was going to bring a whole barrel of problems...hopefully they could figure out how to solve this before the week was over. By tomorrow, preferably.   
  
He cleared his throat to catch her attention (which was admittedly, a bit harder, her voice not being nearly as husky as his own). Once she turned, he looked up at her, trying to wear an expression that was worthy of being the confident, go-with-the-flow leader of the Phantom Thieves. "Well, unless there's anything else you want to discuss, I say we meet back up with the others. We'll need to go home pretty soon too."  
  
"Oh, er, right. I suppose we will need to be going 'home' soon...I'll need to give you the key to my apartment."  
  
"Ooh, my first apartment. I feel so much more adult already.~" he smirked. Too bad his purr didn't have quite the same effect.   
  
Still, it brought the first slight laugh he'd heard from her since this incident, even if it wasn't _her_ laugh. "Oh please, we're only a year apart..." She shook her head, easily striding ahead of him with those longer legs. "Please don't get me in trouble with the landlord while you're there."  
  
"I could say the same to you. If you break those coffee machines, I'm a dead man."  
  
~~~  
  
 _"C'mon,_ blondie! I was just sayin' what we were all thinkin'! Don't tell me you've _never_ wondered what it was like to have a di-"  
  
"Shut up! I-I mean, of course I have, b-but you're still not supposed to just blurt it out and ask! Couldn't you tell they were already embarrassed enough!?!"  
  
"Yo, Artsy-Fartsy, help a bro out here! You were totally wonderin' too, right?!? You're always blurtin' out weird shit, so if _I_ hadn't said it, you woulda'!"  
  
"Hmm? Actually, I hadn't even considered their biological differences. I was merely thinking of how I could capture such different emotions and personalities with their new forms. After all, a more expressive, flustered Akira and a quiet, brooding Makoto would make for quite intriguing paintings, do you not believe so? Ah, and to imagine what they must be going through: such inner turmoil between what they _know_ they are and what they are now perceived to be, the very essence of the physical traits they used to rely on being stripped away, their sense of being utterly uprooted while they see themselves, foreign, through another's eyes...extraordinary!"  
  
"Ugh, only _you_ could turn somethin' crazy like this into _feelings_ and crap..."  
  
"Shh, both of you guys hush! They're coming back!"  
  
"You three are too loud. I'm sure they heard you from halfway down the mall..."  
  
He had to fight the urge to smirk as he and Makoto finally arrived back at the Hideout. Mona was right, there was pretty much no way to avoid overhearing their heated debate a good few feet before they'd actually gotten over here. Judging by the way Makoto was shaking her (er, his) head, she was nearly as amused by their friends' antics.  
  
How long would their amusement last though? They felt comfortable enough with all of their friends here to support them, but once they began that long, lonely journey back to a strange house...  
  
Yeah. That was when the real test would begin...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a brief discussion, Akira and Makoto have departed from the rest of the group for the evening. How will they deal with their first nights in new homes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been working on this chapter for a few days, and I'm glad to have it posted! We'll be exploring their first days at school next!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who left comments, kudos, or bookmarked this fic! It means a lot to me and I'm so happy you're enjoying this as much as I am writing it! <333

Okay...he was supposed to turn on this street, right?  
  
Glancing back down at the device in his hands, he read over the directions Makoto had written down before she'd officially given him her phone. Yep, this was it. Just a few more buildings to pass...  
  
This area was certainly different. Unlike Yongen, it was actually bustling with people even though it was evening, and he had to dodge several adults who weren't looking where they were going in order to avoid being bumped into. The sidewalks were also much neater, running alongside a large road for cars rushing both ways. He could also see several lamps lining his way, which would definitely be useful once the sun had finished setting.  
  
Ah, here it was. Adjusting the bag on his shoulder (he still couldn't get over how much _lighter_ this was without a fully-grown animal weighing it down), he stared up at the massive complex. Row after row of windows covered it, and he couldn't help feeling a hint of awe. How many different lives were hidden behind each of those? Did she know many of her neighbors, or were they all supposed to keep to themselves? He wouldn't be nosey, of course but...he had to admit, the possibility of spending tonight people-watching seemed interesting.  
  
Slipping through the door, he tried not to stare around too openly at the lobby, no matter how curious he was about his surroundings.   
  
_You live here. You have to look like you know what you're doing.  
  
_ "Ah, good evening, Miss Niijima. Welcome back."  
  
The voice seemed to be coming from his right, and he turned to spot a large desk, with a well-dressed man sitting behind it. He assumed that was the concierge.  
  
_What's the protocol here?  
  
_ He decided to go with a standard bow, dipping low and hoping his skirt stayed in place. After a moment, he rose up, trying to get a good look at the man's nameplate while he did so. Wow, he could actually read it from this distance?  
  
_Guess my glasses are going to be an adjustment for her then. Sorry Makoto, have fun struggling to see a few feet in front of you without them._  
  
"Er, good evening, Mr. Yamada." Unable to think of anything else to say, he found himself hesitating in silence, trying to keep a respectful smile on his lips. Was he supposed to check in or something, or just go on up? He had the key already.   
_  
She didn't warn me about this guy...would she make conversation, or is she usually too busy?  
  
_ Shit. He thought he'd gotten to know her better since they first met, but he was beginning to realize that outside of her school habits and a few facts he'd learned during those long Mementos drives or the few times they'd hung out, he actually didn't know much at all...Sure, she wasn't very social towards their peers, but what about adults? Was she more talkative with them? What was the balance between being respectful or overstepping? What were her hobbies? Opinion on different animals?   
  
"Miss Niijima, you've been standing there for a few minutes...is something the matter? Did you require my assistance with anything?"  
  
"H-Huh?" Pulled out of his thoughts, he returned his focus to the man who was now furrowing his eyebrows, a concerned gaze on his face. "Oh, um, n-no, nothing's wrong. Just got lost in thought, I guess..." he murmured, reaching back with one hand to fluff up his hair. Wait, something just moved. Darn it, he forgot about the headband. He'd have to fix that. "I'm, er, gonna go up to my room..." It was more of a question than a statement, and he fidgeted with the strap of his bag for another moment, half-expecting some kind of reprimand.  
  
When none came, he turned away, scanning the room until he finally spotted the elevator. As he was striding towards it, Mr. Yamada called out.  
  
"Are you _sure_ you're alright? Pardon me if this sounds rude, but you seem a bit out of it this evening."  
  
"Yeah. Just tired."   
  
The elevator dinged open, and he stepped inside, double-checking his phone before he tapped the button for Makoto's floor. He'd gotten lucky to find one that was completely empty, and he leaned against the back wall, listening to the soft whir of it rising up the building. As he waited though, he found that the feeling in his stomach wasn't just the rapid ascension of his ride.   
  
_I might have fucked that up.  
  
_ Not so badly that she wouldn't recover, but still...he hadn't talked the way she would have at all. 'Yeah'? She would _never_ have used that as an answer to an authority figure's question! 'Gonna' was even worse.  
  
Alright. No exploring or talking to extra neighbors. He was heading straight to her room for the night. No one else's suspicions needed to be raised before she got her body back.  
  
Right. Getting their bodies back...  
  
A ding, and he stepped out into a quiet hallway, lined with thin, well-travelled carpet that was actually pretty close to the shade of blue he'd just been thinking about. Sighing under his breath, he followed it, glancing at the numbers on the doors.   
  
_Igor's so cryptic, I doubt he'd help me...but maybe those two could give me some direction..._  
  
If his hunch was right, he might be able to fuse a Persona with the same ability that they'd encountered in Mementos...but fusion was such a _complicated_ process. It took long enough to gain the simple abilities his wardens had wanted during Madarame and Kaneshiro's Palaces...who knew how many he'd have to split apart and re-combine before he managed to find the right combination for something this rare...  
  
_I'll have to ask them anyway. Maybe Justine will take pity on me...  
  
_ Or Caroline would just cackle in his face. He really wished _he_ could drop-kick _her_ through a doorway, just once.  
  
"Here it is..."   
  
Plucking the silver key from its ring on the bag, he unlocked the door, pushing it open slowly as the small living room came into view. She lived with her older sister, right? "Hello? I'm home, uh, Sis!" Wow, that felt weird to say.   
  
Nothing. The apartment was silent, spare the few sounds drifting in from outside the building.   
  
Shrugging, he shut the door and put the key back into its place, looking around the room. It was simple, but clean and well-furnished. A sleek sofa sat in the main area, with a dark coffee table in front of it, and a chair next to one of the ends. A few bookshelves lined the walls, a few gaps missing in the rows where they'd been pulled to rest in stacks on the table or taken elsewhere. There was a modest tv on a small entertainment center. All-in-all, much less cluttered than his own room.  
  
He could see a small kitchen off to one side, along with a table for two. On the other side, the bathroom, and what he assumed were the two bedrooms, although their doors were closed.   
  
Clearly they didn't plan to have company very often (or at all, maybe). Everything seemed to be organized and set up for them, and them alone. No extra chairs or places at the tables.  
  
Slipping his shoes off, he stepped into the room more fully, a paper on the coffee table catching his eye. Pulling the book off of the corner, he picked it up.  
  
**Makoto,  
  
Working all night, so don't heat anything up for me.  
Unless there's an emergency, call Mr. Yamada.   
Keep up your studies. Exams are creeping up.**  
  
There was no signature, but he assumed it was from Sae. He had to admit, it was a relief to know she wouldn't be here tonight. Now he would have more time to prepare and nail down his role before he faced her.  
  
Well, Makoto had already gotten her homework done during her free period earlier today, so he guessed he was free for the night. Dropping his bag onto the sofa, he stretched his arms behind his head, humming contently. A whole night of peace and quiet. With _no Morgana.  
  
_ He felt a little bad about grinning as widely as he was, because, really, he wouldn't trade his little buddy for the world, but a guy (er, _girl_ ) could only take so much bossy meowing and constant personal space invading before they needed a break. After months of toting the monster around like he was Mona's personal chauffer, he was _long_ overdue.   
  
So many possibilities...he could read, watch tv, scroll the internet past his curfew without getting the phone rudely smacked out of his hand...  
  
Another glance at the kitchen made up his mind. Makoto had already cooked enough leftovers for a few meals, so all he had to do was heat it up. He may not be able to make curry without burning it yet, but he could work a microwave.  
  
~~~  
  
_Makoto, I think I love you...  
  
_ Now, maybe he was just sick to death of subsisting on curry, burgers, and ramen, but this was quite possibly _the best food_ he'd tasted. Once this whole situation was sorted out, he'd definitely have to thank her somehow.   
  
_This salmon is practically melting in my mouth! Morgana would love this...  
_  
More importantly, there were _actual vegetables_ in here. Broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes, a whole pile...when was the last time he'd eaten more greenery than the odd sprig of lettuce on a sandwich? Shoveling another bite in, he tried to chew a little more slowly. He at least owed it to Makoto to savor the food she'd so carefully prepared, instead of wolfing it down like some kind of animal.   
  
It _was_ something to be savored. She'd seasoned the entire dish with a very flavorful sauce (that wasn't spicy, thank the heavens). Interesting, but nuanced instead of overpowering...Sae was _missing the hell out.  
  
_ Well, he guessed he couldn't fault her for working...but if she wasn't going to be here tonight, then he was helping himself to her portion! There were still plenty of leftovers in the fridge for whenever she _did_ get back, so there was no harm in making sure her sister's efforts didn't go to waste...  
  
He managed to get through about half of Sae's plate before he had to stop.   
  
Swallowing hard, he leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling so he didn't end up looking back at the now-nauseating plate in front of him. Right. Different body. One that _hadn't_ managed to clear all of the Big Bang Burger challenges. She probably couldn't even make the 2nd Mate Badge...  
_  
Note to self. Binging is a bad idea, no matter how tempting the food is...  
  
_ He'd have to ask her what her usual schedule was tomorrow, and try to adjust his habits to her metabolism.   
  
With that in mind, he forced himself to stand up and get started on clearing the table. He may not be in Leblanc, but he still had to do dishes and put leftovers away. He guessed that was kind of nice though. One constant, even when everything else in his life had completely flipped...  
  
~~~  
  
"Ah, you're back. I'm going home, you know the drill."  
  
Unsure what to say, she simply nodded, stepping aside to let Bos-no, Sojiro leave. Once he was gone, she set her bookbag on a nearby table, letting Morgana crawl out. "Um, what's 'the drill'?"  
  
"Basically, just lock the door, make sure the tv and stove are turned off before you go to bed, and don't break anything."  
  
"Right, got it." She turned to lock the door immediately, hoping Morgana didn't notice the slight shaking of her hands. Being on the ground floor was certainly different from knowing she was up high enough to be safe from outside threats, and she wasn't used to hearing people and dogs instead of the rhythmic beeping of vehicles in the city. It was a little eerie...  
  
As unsettling as her nerves were though, the gnawing in her stomach commanded her attention instead. She knew it had only been a few hours since they left Mementos, but she almost felt lightheaded, letting one hand support her weight by gripping a chair.  
  
"So, what does Akira typically fix for dinner?" she started, heading towards the kitchen and peering into the fridge. "He doesn't have any allergies, does he?" The last thing she wanted was to send herself (er, him) to the hospital...  
  
"No, I don't think he's allergic to anything, but..." She heard a dull thump as Morgana leaped from his perch onto the floor and trotted in. His ears were pinned back slightly when he saw her, tail lowered and twitching. "You shouldn't touch those ingredients! Boss is very particular about getting the best produce and meat, and it has to be fresh! They're off limits unless he has a lot of extras, _then_ Akira gets to try making curry. But that's only once in a blue moon!"  
  
"Oh, er, alright...I suppose that makes sense." There weren't many other options in the fridge though. It was actually barren, spare a few containers of milk and some butter. Frowning slightly, she turned back to face her guide. "So what does he usually do?"  
  
"Well, sometimes if we have a free day, he goes to Big Bang Burger to do the challenge! He usually buys a few takeout meals then too, so he can store them in the fridge for the next day or so. Or he'll go to the diner. But on Metaverse days he's way too tired to go back out."  
  
"I can tell. Every inch of my, er, _his_ body is sore..." she murmured, allowing her normally impeccable posture to slump. Was that why he always slouched in that odd way of his when he was standing? She doubted she could muster up the energy to walk to a restaurant or convenience store, no matter how hungry she was. Definitely dining in here, then.  
  
"We've been too busy with Mementos to pick up anything lately, so you'll just have to scrounge around." Morgana mewed, although he soon perked up, springing onto the fridge's top. "Oh, there's some cat food in the cabinet for me! I like the salmon flavor best!" he purred. "And Akira always gives me a dish of warm milk and cream to go with it! It helps calm me down before bedtime!"  
  
"Oh, alright then." Reaching to open the cabinet, she couldn't help the slight smile on her lips. Akira really did spoil Morgana, didn't he? She knew they were close, but there was something extra sweet about knowing they actually had a little bedtime ritual. It almost made her reconsider the idea of getting a pet of her own.  
  
She soon found a pair of bright yellow bowls (cute, he must have picked them to match Mona's collar) sitting on the highest shelf of the cabinet, right next to the stack of cans. And she could actually reach them without having to glance around for a stool!  
  
_I must admit, I'm going to miss giving up this extra height..._  
  
Morgana pounced back onto the floor, licking his lips in anticipation. Once she'd poured a bit of milk and cream into a small sauce pot to heat on the stove, it was easy enough to tug the can's lid open and dump the lump of food into the bowl (and then, per Mona's insistence, mash it up with a fork, because 'a big chunk is gross'). She waited a few minutes while he was eating before turning the stove back off, carefully pouring the warmed contents into the other bowl. "Here you go."  
  
"Wait!" Mona hissed, flinching back when she tried to set the bowl down on the floor. "That's too hot, I'll burn my tongue! You have to blow on it!"  
  
Standing back up, she resisted the urge to sigh. "I had the stove on its lowest setting, and it was only on there for a few minutes. I assure you, it's perfectly fine." She dipped a finger into the bowl to prove her point, pulling it back with ease. "See?"  
  
Morgana simply sat there, a tiny pout on his muzzle as he stared up at her. "Akira _always_ blows on it...And he doesn't talk like that either..." he added, looking back down at his paws.  
  
_I suppose this is a bit difficult for him as well. Akira and I weren't the only ones who lost something with this ordeal...  
_  
Raising the bowl up to her face, she began blowing gently, turning it around to hit different angles until there wasn't a hint of steam left rising. It was strange how even a simple action like this felt off, with teeth that were set differently and lips without the familiar coat of moisturizing gloss on them. Once she was satisfied, she crouched down again on lanky legs, holding the bowl back out for Mona's approval. "Is this acceptable?"  
  
Morgana leaned forward, sniffing before a pink tongue darted out and took a tiny lap. He nodded, allowing her to set it down on the floor so that he could keep drinking, speaking between tongue-laps. "Thank you. Akira wouldn't use that word though, he's more casual. He would say 'better' or 'okay'."  
  
Of course. She should have known that, after all of the time she'd spent with him in these past weeks. It was just difficult, to separate the form she now possessed from the mental state she still carried. She wasn't an actress like Ann, or calm enough to simply go with the unexpected like Yusuke, or wild enough to just fly by the seat of her pants like Ryuji. She was Makoto: calculated, methodical, and set in her ways. She liked routines, and being in her element, and those had been thrown out the window. It would take time to adjust, but there was no telling if they had the time to spare. She would have to fool Sojiro, and go to school tomorrow...Oh goodness. _School._ She prayed Akira didn't flounder her council duties too terribly.  
  
She hoped she didn't fail his own responsibilities. An off-day in the council office, well, her fellow students and staff would be confused, but her reputation would recover. _His,_ on the other hand...  
  
She swallowed, the action punctuated by the foreign bobbing of her new Adam's Apple as she sat down on the floor, gently reaching out to stroke Morgana's neck.  
  
"I'm...I'm sorry that I'm not him..." It was deeper than the light whisper she was used to, but the quake was still there, threatening to crack the sound.  
  
It seemed to surprise Morgana enough to cease drinking, turning his head to regard her with a wide blue gaze. A gaze that soon narrowed as he stepped over to rub his back more thoroughly along her hand, his cheek moving to brush against her knees. "It's okay...I shouldn't have tried to treat you like you were..." he mewed, ears flattening at the admission. "I know you're trying. I'll try to do better about guiding you tomorrow. We can get through this together."  
  
"Yes...we'll get through this." It seemed much more difficult a task, to be honest, but she would have to tackle it. For Akira's sake, she couldn't risk his probation by messing anything up. She would nail his behavior, his mannerisms. Under Morgana's critiques, she would study everything that made Akira himself like it was a final, and she would pass with flying colours!  
  
~~~  
  
Dinner, and this kitchen, left quite a lot to be desired. Her own apartment was fairly small, but at least she'd still had appropriate counter space to work with. The only counter here was covered in a mess of pots and pans, which she'd had to scrub clean before she could clear any room (which was not an easy task, by any means. Curry was like cement once it dried!). After putting all of those away, she'd turned her attention to rooting through the cabinets, only to find containers of different spices and seasonings, bags of salt and sugar, and a few sweets like caramels and chocolates. Of course. Most of what was in here was bound to be supplies for the café, not personal use. Especially since there were stores just down on Main Street to bring back whatever was needed the day of, rather than clogging the small space with groceries for days in advance.  
  
She was a decent cook, but she still needed main ingredients to actually _cook with._  
  
Licking the last of his bowl clean, Morgana piped up from the floor while she was busy setting a few items back into their places. "If we still don't have you both fixed back once we meet up with the others, we can go shopping tomorrow, right after school. But for tonight, I think Akira keeps a few spare ramen cups on the shelf in his room!"  
  
Well, it wasn't very healthy, but she was beginning to suspect it was the only actual food in this place that she was allowed to touch. Nodding, she followed the feline up the wooden stairway, soon spotting a single package next to a large box on the bottom shelf.  
  
"Looks like that's the last one. Yeah, we'll definitely have to make a supply run tomorrow." Mona mused, stretching out on the bed. "You should be glad Sojiro trusts him a little by now. When I first got here, he wasn't even allowed to leave once it was dark outside."  
  
"He couldn't leave at all?"  
  
"Nope. Not to go to the convenience store, or even to check out the bathhouse right in this neighborhood. No street roaming allowed."  
  
"So what did he do? You said he never stopped anywhere on Metaverse days, correct?  
  
"Yeah, so if he missed his chance shopping on weekends or free days, he was pretty much screwed. That's why he started hoarding those cheap noodles. They aren't very good, and neither are those cat cans, but you know..." he shrugged. "Food's food. You just have to find a flavor you won't gag on and make the best of it."  
  
"You said Bo-er, Sojiro trusts him now though. Surely he wouldn't mind ordering some extra produce if he realized Akira didn't have anything to eat around here..."  
  
"Yeah, he probably wouldn't, but...I don't think Akira's ever going to bring it up. He's never complained before, not even to me. You know how he tries to do _everything_ for our Thief operations himself...at first I thought he was the same way here because he'd just made a habit of it, or because he wanted to feel independent or something. But...I don't think that's it. My guess is he still feels like Sojiro doesn't want him here, so he's afraid to push his boundaries."  
  
"What? But Sojiro really seems to like him! Whenever we all come in, he's always smiling at us, and at him!"  
  
"Well, of course! He's warmed up to him by now, but...when I first got here, I could tell things were kind of tense. Sojiro let Akira keep me without much of a fuss, but I could sense his nerves when he had to ask. And from what he's told me, it was even worse before. Sojiro snapped at him for every little thing, constantly told him that if he messed up he'd go straight to juvy...he had to live walking on eggshells."  
  
"I...Goodness, I had no idea..." She reached one hand up to fidget with her braided headband, only to find a mass of tangled curls instead. It only served to heighten her discomfort, empty stomach twisting. Akira had never mentioned any of that to her before, spare the occasional playful joke about being shoved into his attic room. She supposed if things were better between him and his guardian now, there was no need to bring the past back up, but...it didn't make the knowledge any less awful to bear.  
  
"Don't tell him I told you, okay? Like I said, I don't think he wants to talk about it. And things are better now, so you don't have to worry about Sojiro treating you like that! Just act like you saw them act when you first came to Leblanc, and you'll be fine!"  
  
Biting her lip, she nodded. "Of course."  
  
"Okay, gossiping time's over." Morgana mewed, licking a forepaw and drawing it over his cheek. "Hurry up and eat those! You've got to go to sleep for our big day tomorrow!"  
  
"Alright, I'll head downstairs to eat. By the way, which direction was the bathhouse again? I'll need to freshen up before I get changed for bed."  
  
Morgana leaped to stand on all fours, fur bristling along his spine. "You can't go to the bathhouse this late!!!"  
  
"Why not? It's supposed to be open during the night, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, it is, but..." Morgana cringed, flexing his claws into the blanket. "Trust me, you don't want to try walking there at this hour. There's this drunk guy that's always shouting in the corner of the street, but around this time he starts stumbling around...We've talked to him once or twice, and he's pretty harmless when he's lying on the ground, but we don't know if he's any different when he can actually walk...Plus there's usually a few old guys bathing there. You probably don't want to hear what comes out of their mouths..."  
  
Oh my...that certainly didn't sound appealing.  
  
"So bathing is out then..."  
  
"Sorry. On nights like this, Akira usually just scrubs himself down in the bathroom with some soap and a washcloth, and does his hair in the sink."  
  
"Oh...I see." Well, if that was her _only_ option for hygiene, she supposed it would have to do. Besides, she was going to have to visit the restroom at some point tonight, no matter how long she would have preferred to put it off...  
  
After scarfing down some incredibly bland and unfulfilling noodles, she found herself in front of the restroom door with a fresh set of clothes (sweatpants and an old t-shirt), a washcloth, and Akira's toothbrush and toothpaste. Ugh, she was still trying to ignore the mild disgust filling her at the idea of using someone else's toothbrush. But, as Akira had so _elegantly_ put it earlier during their discussion of which objects they might be able to get away with transferring: 'It's _my_ mouth, so you've gotta have _my_ germs.'  
  
Granted, he did have a point. It would actually be _less_ hygienic if they took their own toothbrushes with them...still, she was going to have to fight the urge to gag.  
  
Morgana's mew pulled her out of her contemplation. "So...after you take care of the cleaning part...do you need my help?"  
  
_"Pardon me?"_ She couldn't help cringing at the sound of Akira's voice squeaking. Somehow, hearing _that_ was even more embarrassing than when her own voice got flustered. Perhaps because hers happened so often, whereas his was almost always composed.  
  
"I mean, I've seen him go a few times, so I could probably talk you through how to position it-"  
  
"N-No thank you! I'll, er, f-figure it out..."  
  
"But you've never-"  
  
_"I said I'll figure it out!"_ she snapped, rushing inside to shut the door before Morgana could attempt to follow. Face blazing, she leaned against the wood, burying her face in her hands. Did that cat not have _any filter_ when it came to aspects of privacy?!? How did Akira stand it, being followed constantly and hearing him blurt out all manner of things!  
  
"If you need me, I'll be sitting right out here!" The loud yowl carried through the door, and she groaned.   
_  
Please let us find a way to switch back tomorrow...I really don't know if I could survive an entire week with him!_  
  
Sighing, she set the pile of clothes on the toilet lid, then positioned the other objects on the small sink counter. Alright. She just had to...take all of these clothes off, without allowing her stare to linger anywhere. Fine. She could be mature about this. She wasn't sure she wanted to see that much of Akira anyways...  
  
"Oh goodness..."  
  
She hadn't intended to even look in the mirror, but the moment she'd reached to turn the sink faucet on, something about this body had caught her eye, and she couldn't bring herself to pull her gaze away. Thankfully, not for the embarrassing reason she'd expected. Unfortunately, this reason was just as uncomfortable, and she definitely felt like she'd uncovered something about her leader that she didn't want to know. A hidden secret, one that he certainly wouldn't have wanted any of them to find out, but that they all probably _should_ have found out about.  
  
The slightly muscular portions of him weren't a surprise. She'd already figured he would have built up some from how intense their combat was in the Metaverse, but...he was _much_ thinner than he should be. She'd always assumed any skinniness in his appearance was simply due to his height and long limbs, but...that clearly wasn't actually the case. Sure, it wasn't so intense a condition that his ribs were showing, but as she let a hand ghost along from chest to stomach, she could definitely feel a distinct lack of the extra cushioning that should have been there.   
  
This wasn't the type of lean figure gained from exercise and specific training. No, this was... She had to look away from the reflection in the mirror, the noodles she'd just eaten churning and threatening to come back up as she thought back to the things Morgana had told her earlier. She knew Akira was selfless, she'd seen that firsthand during their mission to change Kaneshiro, and she'd heard the tales from his comrades as they'd recapped what had gone on before that. He was willing to do anything to help them, willing to take any time or resources necessary to accomplish their goals.  
  
There was a difference between being selfless and _self-sacrificing_ though.   
  
Did he really put off eating so often, just for the sake of the Phantom Thieves? Grabbing smaller bites here and there, just enough to keep him going through the exhaustion from all of his duties...rarely having the time or energy to sit down to a meal that was actually fulfilling? And to throw in his delicate living situation with Boss and matters of finances on top of that...  
  
She found herself looking back into the mirror, grey eyes nearly glaring as she stared Akira down.   
  
"Leader or not, no person should stretch themselves so far at the expense of their own health." Akira stated firmly. "You are _not_ a burden. Tomorrow, you're talking to Sojiro about stocking that fridge!" The determined tone almost matched the one she'd heard so often when he declared their next mission in Mementos, and she tried for a trademark Joker Smirk.  
  
No...That just looked awkward. She'd have to work on it.  
  
Sighing deeply, she reached for the washcloth again. With any luck, maybe she could scrub some of her worries away...  
  
~~~  
  
A shower. An actual, honest to goodness shower. Never had he thought a sight could bring him so close to tears of joy.  
  
No unsettling old men scalding him, no staying in too long and getting heatsick and lightheaded...no awkward rubdowns with a washcloth in a tiny bathroom.  
  
Just him, alone, at peace, with at least four different scented products to pick from and a whole cabinet full of lotions.  
  
This opportunity might turn out to be the greatest gift the universe had given him. He was going to _pamper_ himself tonight. The best part was, it wasn't even selfish: whenever Makoto got her body back, her skin and hair were going to be the healthiest and smoothest they'd ever been! This was the gift that would benefit both of them!  
  
Grinning to himself, he started setting every bottle he could find next to the headband on the sink counter, organizing them by...well, what he _thought_ they were supposed to be. There were actually way more words on the labels than he'd expected. Each one seemed to have a completely different function. De-frizzing, replenishing, moisture-locking...which one was the actual shampoo? Were they _all_ shampoos? He snapped open the caps, giving each a deep sniff. Instead of narrowing down which one smelled like _her_ like he'd hoped, he just found himself drowning in a delicious, multi-scented wonderland. The perfumes seemed to have embedded themselves in his nostrils, and now he couldn't smell anything else!  
  
Shrugging, he snapped them all shut, carrying the entire load towards the tub. He'd just use a little of each. If they all had their own benefits, surely _combining_ their powers would give Makoto the _ultimate_ hair. It was just like fusing Personas, but without all of the agonized screaming.  
  
Right. Now he just had to strip. He really hoped the steam was the only reason his face was heating up...  
  
Wow. He'd never seen her without those long sleeves on. Her shoulders were actually really...they sloped so _smoothly,_ unmarred by any scars or markings, and they were coated in the lightest hairs, only visible if they were hit by the perfect angle of lighting. They were like two hills backlit by a sunny day, _soft_ and-  
_  
They're shoulders. JUST shoulders.  
_****  
Shaking his head quickly, as if he could fling the very heat from his skin if he just dislodged those thoughts, he made sure not to look any lower, rushing to yank the rest of the clothing off and dropping them into a pile on the floor.  
  
It was strange, rediscovering such a simple pleasure after so long of going without it. Telling yourself that making do with what you had was fine, that you didn't actually miss it. Compared to everything else you were going through, it wasn't _that important_ in the grand scheme of things.  
  
Except that _it was._ That one semblance of normalcy, so often overlooked and taken for granted, that _one thing_ he could do to _almost forget_ everything else that had been taken from him. Standing here, letting that searing hot rain beat along his back, massaging sore muscles and eroding his worries. Steam billowing all around him in a muggy, comforting cloud, shielding him from the outside world until he felt like he could just disappear and stay _here,_ in this little slice of heaven.  
  
No responsibilities. No identities. No past. No future.  
  
Just the present. Just _now,_ relaxed, letting everything melt away, letting a mind that was almost always buzzing and planning and scheduling just _empty...  
  
_ It didn't even matter that it wasn't _his hair_ fingers were gently caressing through, rubbing and scrubbing the scalp in warm, foamy circles. It didn't matter if that slow, meticulous washcloth was roaming over different curves, a softer stomach. It didn't matter if the occasional sighs coming from his lips were higher, less rugged.  _  
_  
All that mattered was that he was here, surrounded by warmth and familiarity that he hadn't felt in an excruciatingly long time. It wasn't just a body getting clean. No, his very _soul_ felt like it was being cleansed, soaped and scrubbed and rinsed of the darkness, the dust of melancholy that had begun to settle there...  
  
He stayed there, in blessed limbo, letting time stretch on until the cooling rain finally nudged him out. Ruffling his hair dry with a snow-white towel, he then wrapped it around himself, reaching to rub a circle into the foggy mirror. He couldn't help snorting at the fluffed up birds' nest that was staring back.   
  
_She'd kill me if she saw what I did to her hair._  
  
He reached for the black hairbrush, gently combing his way through the tangles. It took a few tries to get the parting of her bangs just right, but he eventually managed to get it back to the hairdo he knew. Grinning in satisfaction, he turned, admiring his handiwork for a moment to make sure he'd reached her standards.  
  
"You know...a smile looks good on you..."  
  
~~~  
  
"I'm not a pervert. I'm not a pervert. This is necessary, and totally normal. Not creepy at all. I'm _not_ a pervert."  
  
Despite the repeating mantra, he could only hear Ryuji's snickering in his ears. _'Dude, how's it feel ta' be goin' on your first panty raid?!?'_ he would crow, laughing so hard that he nearly doubles over. Brave talk from someone who wussed out of the maid service mission. Hell, Ryuji probably couldn't commit a raid of his own in his life, but still...he was probably going to get an earful of teasing the moment Ryuji had a chance tomorrow.  
  
He finally caught sight of the pieces he was looking for, sparing only the quickest glimpse possible to make sure he actually grabbed a pair before he fumbled to slam the drawer shut. Swallowing hard, he could feel his heart nearly blasting out of his chest. Why did he feel like Sae was going to burst through the door any second, immediately figure out he wasn't supposed to be here (in more ways than one), and absolutely _rip him a new one?  
  
There's no way any of that's going to happen. Chill.   
_**_  
_** Despite his attempt to calm himself, he found his eyes lingering on the closed door anyways as he pulled the cotton fabric up.   
  
Shaking his head, he opened three different drawers before finally finding where she kept her pajama tops. As expected, they were all folded and stacked into place. He plucked the first one, light blue, from the right stack. Unfolding it revealed a long-sleeved cotton shirt, complete with a large embroidered emblem of a cheerful panda face positioned in the center of the chest.   
_  
Aw, cute._  
  
Tugging it on quickly, he shut that drawer. Now, going by common sense, the bottoms drawer would be right below it. Yep. So where were the blue pants that went with this? Knowing Makoto, she'd prefer to match...  
  
~~~  
  
She'd hoped Morgana might have gone upstairs or something by the time she was done, but evidently he'd been serious about waiting right outside the door for her. She nearly tripped over him stepping back into the café, having to lunge and grab the doorframe to keep from falling. Straightening back up, she carefully slid past him, watching her feet as she reached up to turn off the television on the wall.   
  
Morgana seemed unfazed by the collision, simply staring up at her. "You were in there for a long time. Are you okay?"  
  
_Not really...  
  
_ "I'm fine..."   
  
"So does that mean you figured out how to-"  
  
_"Yes,_ but I would appreciate it if you refrained from bringing that up!" she snapped, face burning again at the very reminder of the trials she'd just gone through. Goodness, she prayed her future children ended up being girls...  
  
"Okay, sheesh. I was just checking..." Mona huffed. "Anyway, you already locked the door, so come on! It's time to sleep!" Angling his ears in the direction of the stairway, he turned to lead the way, bounding up the wooden steps.   
  
She found herself following more slowly, gripping the rail with one hand while she trudged up the stairs. She was already physically exhausted, but after everything she'd found out today...her head just kept spinning, each thought just as tiring. Yes...she was certainly ready for this day to end. The sooner she slept, the sooner she could have a lengthy discussion with Akira tomorrow.  
  
_Would he even be willing to speak with me about topics like those though? We've only known each other for a little over a month..._  
  
How often had she been chastised for sticking her nose in where it didn't belong? Was it really her place to be fussing at him for the way he treated himself, especially when so many of his circumstances were beyond his control?  
  
But if she feigned ignorance, she would only be watching him continue to go down that self-sacrificing path, suffering in silence...like so many students that she'd failed to help before...  
  
"Now, I don't want to see that phone anywhere but sitting on the nightstand, is that clear?" Mona meowed, leaping up onto the bed. His jaws stretched in a mighty yawn as she complied. "Good. Now, go to sleep..."  
  
_Bossy much? Do you simply enjoy playing leader when we aren't in the Metaverse?_  
  
The feline was already kneading the blankets as she wriggled in and curled up onto her side, fighting off a yawn of her own. Yes, sleep...she needed to try and cast all of those other thoughts aside. She could deal with them in the morning.   
  
Her eyes had only just begun to slip closed when she felt a firm prod in her ribs, and along her thigh. Squinting in the dark, she spotted Morgana's white paws poking along her, presumably trying to find a way to climb on top of her side. Honestly, couldn't he tell there wasn't enough space to sit there?  
  
"Mona, you're crowding me." she mumbled, not even bothering to hide the hint of annoyance in her tone.   
  
The poking ceased, and she felt the cot shift as he curled up on his own, leaving plenty of space between them. Much better. Perhaps now she could get some rest.  
  
Apparently not, according to the dog that immediately started barking outside...  
  
~~~  
  
Beeping. How did she ever get used to all of this beeping?  
  
The dog that lived down the street had been bad, sure, but he'd soon realized that was nothing compared to the city streets outside. Endless cars and traffic, the occasional siren or shout from people who were out too late...every time he started to block it out, a new sound would catch his attention, and then he was back to being awake and listening. Huffing under his breath, he turned to stare at the Buchimaru poster in the corner of the room, lit by the small nightlight plugged into the wall outlet.   
  
"Do you get used to it after a while? Or does she still find it irritating?"  
  
Buchimaru did not have an answer, but his cheerful smile was slightly reassuring. It probably just took time, then. It wasn't that it was especially _loud,_ just...different. Starkly different.  
  
Maybe it was just more noticeable because there wasn't a second voice in here to talk to...  
  
_I hope you're okay, buddy...Is she taking good care of you? Did you get your bedtime saucer?_  
  
Like Morgana would let _anyone_ deprive him of his milk and cream. Heh. He was probably running the show over there, mewing out orders and strutting around like he was the king of the castle.  
  
_Maybe he's actually enjoying the break from my banter._    
  
He hoped Makoto went to bed on time though. For her own safety.  
  
Closing his eyes, he tried to let the outside noises fade away again, picturing soft classical music in their place. Blue velvet instead of white curtains. Ragged, striped fabric instead of these soft pajamas...  
  
_I know they usually come to me, but...maybe if I try, I can come to them..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you for being so patient, I know it's been a while since the last chapter! I've had a lot to get done over the past few weeks (plus celebrated my 20th birthday!), but I've been writing a lot during any free time I've had!
> 
> I'll be honest, I've had a lot of difficulty with this chapter for some reason, so I don't think it's really on par with the first 2. ^^' I've been fiddling with it for ages though and I felt like it was getting long for something that doesn't actually have much going on, so I feel it's better to just go ahead and post it so that I can jump back into a better section when I pick it up for chapter 4 (which is already partially written)! I do know where I want to go from here on, so it should be smoother sailing and get back into more meaningful scenes and character interactions (we will be exploring more classroom stuff and then Mementos, but that's all I'll spoil)! 
> 
> I'm very grateful to anyone who's been reading and commenting on this, and I do hope you'll stick with it through this slight rough patch, haha!

Darkness. Darkness and quiet. Heaviness.  
  
Yeah, this was nice. Peaceful. Drifting.  
  
"Do not allow yourself to succumb to slumber just yet..."  
  
Who was that voice? Feminine, echoing...he hadn't heard it before. But there had been an insistence in her tone, so he slowly forced his leaden eyelids open, only to wince as a blue glow took up most of his field of vision. A butterfly. It seemed to sense his discomfort, flitting back a few feet so that he could see properly. Not that there was much to see. Everything around him was still empty, and pitch black.   
  
"You went to bed with a purpose, did you not? Please, focus, and remember what you had planned to do."  
  
What he'd planned to do? He was tired...all he really wanted now was to sleep...What kind of dream was this?  
  
Shaking his head, he tried to think past the exhausted fog clogging his mind. _I don't..._ His thought drifted back into emptiness. Huffing in frustration, he stared down at his hands.  
  
Wait. Why were they smaller, slimmer and well-manicured? Flexing them curiously, his attention was slowly drawn to the rest of himself.  
  
Or at least, what definitely _wasn't_ himself.  
  
"Is it beginning to return to you? The trouble you have found yourself in?"  
  
Right. This wasn't who he was supposed to be. And this wasn't _where_ he was supposed to be. He hurried to stand up, glancing around. But it was all darkness here...where was he supposed to go to find those he'd come searching for?  
  
"Allow me to settle upon your face, much like the masks you wear so often. I believe I may be able to guide you, just this once..."  
  
 _Is she reading my thoughts?_ "Who are you? How do you know where the Velvet Room is?"  
  
"I'm afraid I cannot answer those questions. But rest assured, I believe we will be meeting again, in the distant future. Perhaps you will gain the knowledge you seek by then. Now, close your eyes, and allow my spirit to reach the forefront of the many you carry..."  
  
He may not know this voice, but it seemed like the other mystical beings he'd met in his dreams hadn't lead him astray so far. Igor, Caroline, Justine, they'd all been helpful. He guessed he'd just have to have faith in this one too. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm himself, standing still as that glowing light nearly burned through his eyelids. The buzz of energy was wrapping around his face now, swirling to tingle along his nose and cheeks, blazing along his forehead, searing into what felt like his very brain.   
  
It felt different from the other personas he'd collected though. There was no burst of chatter at the edges of his awareness, no brief flashes of other lives, the phantom sensations of extra limbs or wings...there was just him, him and this energy gathered in one specific place. He might have found it almost calming, if he wasn't so curious.  
  
When the tingling finally eased up though, he slowly opened his eyes to find that the blue glow was gone entirely, along with any trace of the butterfly. He couldn't sense any extra presence at all...  
  
There was a presence here though, two that he spotted as soon as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting he'd found himself in. There, across the short distance and blocked by metal, were the twins he'd been hoping to see. Oddly enough, the desk behind them was empty. It was eerie actually, seeing the back of the chair there, not being greeted by that bulging stare and jagged grin.  
  
 _I've only been here when he's called me here himself...maybe he really does have other things to do when he isn't checking up on me._    
  
He was getting distracted though. He'd made it here, and that was what was important. There was no telling how long he had on his own, without Igor here controlling when he got sent back. It might only be a few minutes.  
  
With that in mind, he refocused his attention on the two wardens as he started walking forwards, bracing himself to start rattling off his explanation. "Listen, I know this is weird, but we need to-ahh!"  
  
One moment, the twins were standing there, and the next he'd smacked right into the hard floor, his hands not managing to position themselves in time to stop him from landing sprawled out flat. Cringing, he forced stinging limbs to shove him back upright, only to catch sight of the problem. His hands and feet were both swallowed up in ragged fabric, the sleeves and pant legs dangling a good few inches past where he (er, Makoto) ended. So they didn't shift along with his physical body, then...  
  
"Way to go, inmate! You look like an even bigger dumbass than usual!"  
 _  
"Caroline!"_  
  
The twin with braided buns only cackled harder in response to Justine's reprimand, leaning against the bars as she stared him up and down. "Those clothes don't flatter your new body either! Guess you really can't pull anything off!"  
  
Rolling his eyes, he glanced towards the more level-headed twin, trying to roll his sleeves back while he spoke. "So you two still know who I am then?"  
  
"Of course. We're your wardens, so it would reflect rather poorly on our qualifications for our positions if we were so easily fooled." Justine scoffed, tapping her clipboard. "Your physical form may be different, but we can still see the fire of rebellion that burns inside of you. The shape of your soul, your subconscious, the desires within your heart...we are much more concerned with those aspects of you than your bodily condition."  
  
"Yeah, inmate! You could break every bone in your body, and we wouldn't give a shit as long as you could still wield and fuse Personas!" Caroline snickered, tapping her beating stick against the metal with a sharp clang. He tried not to flinch, keeping his gaze firm and focused. Well, at least that saved him some time. He could jump right into his questions then.  
  
"So, do you two know how this happened?"  
  
"Well, we did not get to see the exact scenario that led to it, but-"  
  
Caroline cut her off. "I saw you scrambling out of Mementos when I was at the door! The look on your face was priceless!"  
  
As irritating as it was, he couldn't exactly fault her for her amusement. He guessed it was a _little bit_ funny...you know, if you weren't the one who had actually had their entire life turned upside down. "I'm pretty sure it was because of a Persona we fought. Our target used an ability on us, but we didn't figure out what happened until they had already disappeared. That's why I came here. Is it possible for me to fuse a similar creature with the same ability?"  
  
Justine pursed her lips, staring down at the board in her hands while she thought for a moment. "Please keep in mind, Personas created by warped souls like the requests you take on are often markedly different from the typical fare. They usually form different resistances and weaknesses than their counterparts, and they're much stronger."  
  
"That's not exactly a 'no', is it? You two have asked for some pretty complicated fusions before, and I've managed-"  
  
"Speaking of which, you still owe us that Neko-Shogun with Dekaja, inmate! When are you gonna deliver!?!"  
  
"I'm working on that!" He had to admit, it was kind of satisfying to hear Queen's harsh words come out. It seemed to be intimidating (well, maybe just surprising) enough to quiet Caroline too, if only for a split second. He hurried to finish speaking before she could interrupt again. "Anyways, I've been able to handle difficult fusions before. Is it possible for me to create a Persona with a rare ability like that, if I followed your guidance? Would that be enough to fix this mess?"  
  
"Well..." Justine held her tongue for a moment. Caroline seemed to be keeping a similar (if impatient) silence, lightly tapping her beating stick against her hand while she stared at her partner.   
  
 _Justine almost always has an answer for me. She and Caroline know just about everything to do with this cognitive stuff...so why is she hesitating?  
  
_ "I believe, if you were to do exactly as we suggest, and made use of special training in the isolation cell to gain different resistances, you may be able to recreate your previous foe." she finally stated, making notes on her clipboard. "It will require far more fusions and Personas of several different levels though, and that is assuming you are at a high enough skill level to summon them once fused."  
  
"Of course, that also all depends on whether you can still do your job in that new body of yours! You might just get this poor girl's ass kicked!" Caroline pointed out with a scoff. "Your soul might still be there, inmate, but can you actually summon anything?"  
 _  
"Of course_ I can still..." He may have started that sentence with a hint of indignance, but it had quickly trailed off as her question sunk in more thoroughly. They'd bolted out of Mementos without chancing the risk, and he'd been too focused on getting through the evening (well, enjoying his vacation, if he was honest) to probe too deeply into the light thread of contact he kept with Arsene and the rest of his Personas during the normal hours. Sure, he still mostly felt like himself, but he also very clearly _wasn't_ himself...would this change be enough to alter the balance he'd found?  
  
It wouldn't be enough to test it here. With the power of the Compendium and the twins, summoning any creature would be an easy feat, as long as he had enough funds to offset the cost. The only way to truly judge his abilities would be to take it to a real fight in the waking hours, when he would have to rely on himself and his spirit alone to dredge up the power...  
  
"I'll find a way. Just tell me which Personas I need to bring in, and I'll get to work."  
  
The twins exchanged another glance between themselves, and he could swear he caught the slightest hint of skepticism in their otherwise calm stares. When they turned back to him though, they looked as businesslike as ever, like this was just another list for their personal task.  
  
"Alright, here is what you will need."  
  
"You'd better listen to her, inmate, because we're not repeating it every time you come in here! Don't forget!"  
  
And so, he listened with full attention as Justine rattled off a much longer list than any he'd been given so far...  
  
~~~  
  
"Hey...Good morning, Frizzy-head... _Hey. HEY!!! IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP, GET UP!!! GET OUT OF BED!!!"  
  
_ The voice was earsplittingly loud, and she jolted under the thin blanket, her arm lunging out blindly towards the intruder. Whether her intention had been to punch, shove away, or simply feel for whatever was out there, she wasn't sure, but soon enough the intruder cried out again.  
  
"MRROWWW- _OW!"_  
  
Wait, that voice sounded less like a stranger, and more like the panicked yowl of-  
  
A thump, and she cringed, trying to coordinate her movements enough to worm her way out of bed. It was no easy task when she was still half-asleep, and it took her a minute to finally peek over the mattress, her bleary gaze finally focusing on poor Morgana, who was struggling to regain his purchase on the wooden flooring. He shook his pelt out, tail lashing as a layer of dust flew from it.  
  
"Next time, I'll just let you oversleep! Humph!" His sapphire glare didn't soften as he leapt back up onto the bed, ears pinned back against his head. "That really hurt, you know! You shouldn't be using your Queen battle moves outside of the Metaverse!"  
  
"You have my deepest apologies, Mona." she murmured, bowing to the feline as best she could while she was still sitting on the bed. She swallowed against the dryness in her throat, her heart still pounding with leftover panic. "I'm not used to having visitors, so you startled me. I thought someone had broken into my room-"  
  
She cut herself off as the odd sound of her voice finally registered. That...wasn't her voice. It was too deep for a simple cold either.   
  
'My room', she'd said.  
  
This wasn't her bed. This wasn't her room.  
  
 _Right...so what happened wasn't just a dream then._  
  
Exhaling heavily, as if expelling some air would somehow ease her discomfort upon remembering the unfortunate situation she was in, she moved to grab Akira's phone from the nightstand, squinting at the time. "Morgana, it's four o'clock in the morning. I don't need to get ready until five thirty..." She was all for punctuality, but she still preferred a proper amount of sleep! Fighting to hold back a yawn, she reached to shoo the cat back to the other side of the bed, only to feel a paw smack her hand.  
  
"Sorry, sleepyhead, but you're staying up! We have lots of important training to do before Boss gets here to open the café!" Mona meowed, his voice especially grating now that her mood had passed from panic to annoyance.   
  
"What sort of 'training' can't wait until a decent hour?"  
  
"Your _Akira training,_ of course! You've got a lot to learn if you want to play the part! Now, put your glasses on and get dressed! Then we can start! Chop-chop!" Unable to clap, the cat settled for thumping his tail against the thin pillow.   
  
Well...as tired as she was, he did have a point. She _had_ vowed to study...  
  
Sighing under her breath, she put the lenses on, blinking a few times until she got used to how much more sharply the previously blurry rest of the room came into focus. _I wonder how long his vision has been like this...and why doesn't he need glasses in the Metaverse? Does his mask simply correct his eyesight for him? Or is Joker his own cognitive perception of a better self, a person who doesn't require any aid?  
  
_ She would be very interested in studying the answers to those questions, but that would have to wait until the next time they went into the Metaverse. For now, she had more pressing concerns. Fighting off a yawn, she finished climbing off the bed, trudging towards the other side of the room.  
  
"For someone who organizes our Thieving supplies so well, his clothing system is a mess! Honestly, would it kill him to hang these up?"  
  
"Hang them up _where?"_ Morgana countered, a slight huff to his tone as he lounged on the desk in the corner.  
  
"Oh, um..." Guilt pricked through her chest, and she ducked her head slightly while she pulled a blazer from its place on the shelf. At least all of the clothes were neatly folded. "Sorry..." _I really should think more before I speak._  
  
Criticizing her peers' habits may have been something she was used to, especially when she was guiding them during council sessions, but she also needed to remember that not every life was like her own...  
  
Yes, Akira's life was certainly different from her own. She'd been too exhausted to pay much attention to her surroundings last night, but now that she was standing here, she was able to take note of several details. Like the shelf crammed with old boxes where she'd found the ramen cup last night. It was packed with all kinds of things, but none of them seemed to be Akira's. They were just odd objects, left over from storage before he'd moved in. Or the windowsill, slightly splintered in places, much like the uneven wood of the floorboards. Now that she had the lights on, she could see the hints of dust that floated around wherever one of them moved and stirred it up, even though Morgana had told her they cleaned the room fairly often. Perhaps they just couldn't clean it properly. There was only so much you could do with a space if what was in it was old, or if it was too dark.  
  
Now that she'd successfully found all of the uniform pieces and other accessories she needed, she turned away, but she only made it a few steps before Morgana stood up, tail lashing.   
  
"Hey, where are you going?"  
  
"Downstairs. I need to get dressed."  
  
"Isn't it a waste of time to go all the way down there just to put clothes on?" the feline huffed, rolling his eyes. "It's not like it's actually _you,_ remember? I've seen pretty much everything, it's no big deal."  
 _  
_She could feel her face growing red already. _You are far too casual about these things!_ True, Morgana was correct in that it wasn't actually _her_ body, and she supposed people weren't exactly embarrassed to change around their pets, but...it was different when said pet could _speak_ and fight with swords! Did Mona really not understand these types of rules? For one who claimed to be truly human, he certainly lacked the knowledge of certain etiquette...  
  
Still, there might be times when it would be inconvenient to go down there...she'd have to get used to it at some point. Groaning, she stared down at the floor. "Fine. I'll change up here..." She mumbled, clutching the pile of uniform clothing tighter. "But you are to stay turned around _the entire time,_ understood? One peek, and I'll throw you out onto the street!"  
  
She wasn't sure if it was her own threat or the force in Akira's voice that made her point, but Morgana was extremely quick to comply, whipping around to face the wall with his fur puffed up and his body stiff as a board. "Y-Yes S-Sir-I mean Ma'am-no, A-Akira!"  
  
She dressed as quickly as she could, even though she couldn't help smirking in amusement at Morgana's stammering. For someone so quick to boss her (and the real Akira) around, he couldn't hold his ground very well when he was challenged. _Who's in charge now, hmm?  
_  
Once she was properly dressed and buttoned up, she cleared her throat, standing tall. "Alright. You can look now." _  
_  
"Ahem!" Morgana coughed once as he turned around, clearly trying to hide his frazzled nerves. "Right, now for your training! First, we need to fix your posture! Akira never stands that straight!" he mewed, puffing out his chest slightly as he began his all-important lecture. "Put your hands in your pockets, and lower your head!"  
  
 _If you ask me, he might thank me if he knew how much better his back would feel with proper posture...  
  
_ Her primary goal today was avoiding suspicion though. She would just have to embrace Akira's habits for now. Once they swapped back to their own bodies, perhaps _then_ she could convince him to make a few lifestyle changes to better himself. Sighing under her breath, she tucked her hands into the pant pockets, ducking her head slightly. "How is this?"  
  
"Mmm...not slouchy enough..." Mona admitted, cocking his head as he studied her. "Hunch over more! Bend your knees a little!" he instructed, waving a paw.  
  
She felt ridiculous, standing half-bent like this. People were built to stand upright for a reason! Besides, with his height, wouldn't he want to take advantage of it?  
 _  
No...he's quiet, and prefers blending into the background. Standing at full height would only make him stand out._  
  
Or maybe he really did just have terrible posture. She would never know for sure unless she asked him, she supposed.  
  
"Is this better?"  
  
"Ehhh..." Mona grimaced slightly, shrugging his shoulders. "Closer. We'll keep working on it. Let's work on your speech while you're getting ready." A thump, and Morgana had leapt to the floor, leading the way towards the stairs. "Just keep talking to me, and I'll correct you."  
  
"Alright, but I don't believe I'll need much correctin-"  
  
"STRIKE ONE! Too many words, and he wouldn't say 'I don't believe' when he's just talking to me! He'd probably just say 'Alright' and let his face say he didn't think he needed it!" Morgana began trotting down into the café, tail lashing. "It's all in the facial expressions! The sass, the smug looks! Only speak the bare minimum!"  
  
"Ah, I see! So he simply-" She froze as Morgana turned to cast her a look. "I-I mean, _Got it."_  
  
"There you go. Two words was all you needed."  
  
~~~  
  
If there was ever a person who would suit one of those hideous 'I WOKE UP LIKE THIS' shirts, it would be Akira. She'd assumed his handsome tangle of curls was the result of some very meticulous brushwork, and maybe a hint of spray to hold it in place. But his bedhead really wasn't that different from the slightly messy (but not outright ragged) fluff he walked around with. A light run through with her fingers to fluff a few strands, and she was good to go.  
  
Oh goodness though, she had to _fight_ the temptation to smooth it down. She was sure Akira would look quite nice if that black mop was properly groomed into neat little areas...ooh, or maybe slicked back a bit? Just a little change, but one that would surely suit him.  
  
"You know, Morgana, he might not be considered such a delinquent if he looked a little more refined-"  
  
"You're _not_ changing his hair!" Morgana hissed from outside the restroom door. "The key objective today is to be _normal!_ You're going with his standard look!"  
 _  
"I know,_ I'll leave it alone..." she sighed, stepping back out of the restroom. It would have been a nice opportunity to have a little fun with her current scenario though, if there hadn't been any stakes involved. "What's next? Do I need to pack a lunch?" Not that there was really anything to pack around here currently.  
  
"Nah, we usually just pick up something at the convenience store on the way, or from the school store. Let's go back upstairs and practice some more. We should have about half an hour before Boss gets here."  
  
~~~  
Morgana's ears pricked, and he held up a forepaw. "You can stop with the walking practice. Boss is about to open the door."  
  
Grateful for the brief respite from the slow trudging around the room (she had to admit, walking with that slouch was harder than it looked), she straightened up, popping her back. "You can tell that from all the way up here?"  
  
"Sure. He's got heavier footsteps than us, and the door shakes when he starts jiggling the key, which always makes the bell jingle a little." he meowed, staring at her like it was as clear as day despite the relative silence of the room. She had read a few times that cats had better hearing than humans, but it was still impressive to see in action.   
  
"I guess you make a good security system for Akira, don't you? You can warn him before he gets caught doing anything suspicious."  
  
"Yep! He wouldn't have been able to keep up his Phantom Thief career without me to guide him!" Mona purred, puffing out his chest. "Now, get his, er, _your_ stuff! After breakfast, I've got to guide you through the school day!"  
  
"Breakfast?" Goodness, even the word itself was making her stomach growl, a sharp reminder of the hunger that she hadn't been able to sate last night. "I assumed we would be grabbing something on the way."  
  
"No, Boss always feeds us before we leave in the morning. He's not heartless, you know? But we have to hurry, he doesn't want us sitting there once the cafe's open. Bad for business if they see a shifty teenager and me out in the open..."  
  
"Right." Of course Sojiro wouldn't let Akira _starve._ Trying not to look too eager (after all, this was routine for Akira, not the first time she'd eaten in what _felt like days),_ she slung the bookbag over her shoulder, then shoved her hands into her pockets, slouching and glancing back at the feline for approval. Once he nodded, she began her slow descent down the steps, soon catching sight of the man in the small kitchen.   
  
"Ah, you're up. It'll be ready in a few minutes." The steady chop of a knife against cutting board filled the silence, accompanied by the sizzle of whatever he'd just poured into a pot. "The cat's dish is already on the counter."  
  
It seemed Morgana already knew that, leaping up to sit on one of the barstools with a 'mrow' of excitement. She set her bookbag on one of the empty tables, then took the seat beside him, watching as he lapped fresh milk from a bowl. Leaning over, she hissed softly into her guide's ear. "Am I supposed to help him?"  
  
"No, he'd rather Akira just sit here and wait. There isn't time for a cooking lesson in the morning."  
  
"Right." Nodding, she sat back up, folding her hands in her lap before she realized that probably wasn't the appropriate pose. _Slouch more. Maybe I should put my elbows on the counter? No, that might be too rude. Lean back perhaps?_ She settled for resting one arm on the counter, turning to sit in the chair at an angle so that she could watch the entrance to the kitchen. _It feels kind of rude to just sit here in silence though..._ "So, how's your morning going?" she called out.  
  
"Huh?" Sojiro poked his head out for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. "Same as any other morning. Trudge here to feed you freeloaders, slave over a hot stove until the customers trickle in." The man sighed slightly, stretching his back with an audible pop. "When you get old, mornings aren't that exciting, kid. You'll understand once you get a job."   
  
"Each morning is the start of a new day though...isn't there something to be said for that? I always thought that sort of change was refreshing." she mused, turning to glance out the store window. It was still fairly dark, but she could see a hint of dawn sun beginning to highlight a few things.   
  
"Hey, Chatterbox, reign it in!" Mona hissed, raising his head to glare at her. Despite the dripping milk all over his face, it still managed to be a pretty firm stare, and she flinched, ducking her head.   
  
"Somebody's feeling positive. Didn't take you for a morning person, considering I pretty much have to _drag you_ downstairs to help out on Sundays..." Boss muttered. "You just finally wake up on the right side of the bed today?" Was that sarcasm in his tone? It was kind of hard to tell, considering how gruff his speaking voice was.  
  
 _Darn it! Remember, you're Akira, not Makoto! Stop trying to make conversation! Short answers, and act sulkier. Be quiet and mysterious.  
  
_ "Something like that..." _There, that's more like him._ She glanced away again, pushing her glasses up to try and hide her eyes more.  
  
Boss didn't pick the conversation back up, simply walking back into the kitchen. She stayed silent for the next few minutes, watching Morgana drink his milk and listening to the various noises of her meal being prepared. The smell beginning to permeate the air was absolutely tantalizing, and she could swear her stomach was going to eat a hole through her if she had to wait much longer. By the time Boss had returned, her mouth was watering (more like flooding), and she made sure to swallow before she dared part her lips to speak.  
  
"Thank you." Simple, and spoken softly, but nonetheless grateful. She was sure that suited Akira.  
  
Taking hold of her spoon, she found herself eagerly scooping it into her mouth with, admittedly, far more haste than was appropriate. By the time she realized her lack of impulse control, her mouth was stuffed to the brim, and her eyes widened as the flavor began to settle on her tongue. _  
  
_"Geez kid, why do ya' look so surprised? Is there something different about the curry?"  
  
"Mmmph?" Face flushing slightly, she fought to finish chewing the mouthful that threatened to spill out of her cheeks, swallowing carefully. _Slow down, have some manners!_ "N-No, it's just...really good..." Exceptional, actually, but this wasn't Akira's first time eating it, so she couldn't go that far in her compliments.  
  
"Well, it's my secret recipe for a reason. Figured you'd be used to the flavor by now though..." the man muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "The customers'll be here soon, so hurry up and finish. I'm gonna get started on the next batch." With that, he turned to start walking towards the kitchen.  
  
 _Oh, that's right, the kitchen! Wait, this is my chance!  
  
_ Hurrying to swallow her next mouthful, she straightened up in her seat, trying to summon some extra courage. "Sojiro, wait!"  
  
The man paused in his footsteps, shaking his head slightly before he turned to glance at her. "What is it now? I've got a café to open."  
  
"Um..." She found the words seemed to catch on her tongue, clinging to the tip and refusing to spill past her lips. Staring down someone who was older and clearly busy with their work, someone who was already irritated at the injustice of being paused for _a second_ to have their precious time wasted...  
  
In that moment, he looked _just like her._ Silver hair and a firm gaze, shoulders tensed.  
  
When she tried to fix things alone, overstepped her boundaries, it usually resulted in making things worse. Like the incident with Kaneshiro, only a few weeks ago...she'd tried to take action on something she knew very little about, and it had cost her and the entire group dearly. Yes, then she'd awakened to Johanna and defeated him in the end, but still...if she made the same mistakes afterwards, then she hadn't grown at all.  
  
 _I can't mess this up for him...what if Boss really would get mad at Akira for being too demanding?_  
  
Ducking her head, she pushed the food around on her plate. "Er, nevermind...it's nothing."  
  
" _'Nothing'_ , huh?" Boss muttered. "You've been acting strange all morning. If there's something you need to tell me, spit it out, kid. You'd better not be up to anything." Sojiro's eyes narrowed, looking colder than she'd seen him before. "Don't think you're off the hook just because you've been a good kid for three months, you hear? I'm still in charge of reporting your behavior."  
  
 _Morgana was right. Trust really is something Akira has had to work hard to earn...and it could be taken away far more easily..._  
  
"I'm not up to anything. I swear." She tried to keep Akira's voice as steady as possible while she said it, locking eyes with Sojiro.   
  
The man stood there for another minute, arms crossed as he looked her over. "I guess even if you're lying, I don't have a way to prove it." he sighed. "Just hurry up and get out of here before you're late for school. No one wants a repeat of _that first day."_ Sojiro huffed, heading back towards the kitchen once more. She could hear the fridge opening up again, and a hint of guilt wormed through her stomach.  
  
Had she chickened out because she'd _truly_ been afraid Boss would have fussed at 'Akira's' request for extra food? Or had she just seen Sis standing there, waiting for yet another foolish proposal to sneer at and brush off after she'd pushed too far?  
 _  
Well, regardless, I suppose the moment's gone now. I can still try to speak with Akira after school..._  
  
With that in mind, she returned her focus to her plate, whatever unease she still felt overshadowed by the remaining hunger gnawing at her stomach. Aware that she was running out of time before the customers arrived, she rushed to shovel the rest of it down (while still maintaining her manners, of course. Well, mostly). Soon enough, the plate was completely clear, and she sat there for a moment, wondering whether Akira would have brought the plate to the kitchen, or simply left it here for Boss to collect. Frankly, she wasn't sure she wanted to head back to Sojiro after the uncomfortable conversation they'd just had, but she also didn't want him to think Akira was suddenly being ungrateful or lazy, so maybe she should-  
  
 _Burning._  
 _  
So much burning._ All around her mouth, down her throat. Her train of thought derailed as the heat continued to spread, the discomfort taking up every ounce of awareness she had. Her breath seemed to cut off for a moment in a wheeze as she pressed a fist to her mouth, eyes watering. "G-Goodness, that's _hot!"_  
  
Wide blue eyes stared at her from the little seat at the counter, fur spiking along Mona's spine. "You're just realizing that _now!?!_ After you ate _the entire dish!?!"_ he yowled.  
  
"I was _-wheeze-_ too hungry to feel anything at first..." she explained, gasping between swigs of coffee that were doing _nothing_ to quell the fire. "I-I just _-cough-_ kind of gulped it all down..."   
  
"Sheesh..." Morgana muttered, ears flattening in what she _hoped_ was sympathy (but was likely just disappointment). "Come on, grab the bag. We'll get you some water on the way to the station..."  
  
She nodded, squinting to see past her watery vision as she fumbled for the schoolbag and held it open for Mona to climb inside. Once he was situated, she hurried out the door, the bell tinkling behind them.  
  
"The convenience store's just few minutes' walk from here. We'll get some food for lunch there." Mona instructed, pointing with his foreleg whenever she needed guidance on which turns to take. These streets were so much narrower than her own, and often lacked signs to let visitors know where they were. Then again, she supposed this area didn't get too many visitors that didn't already know it on some level. It definitely seemed to be more of a place for locals and their acquaintances. "So what did you call Boss back for? You seemed nervous..."  
  
"Oh...it's nothing. I wanted to ask him about something, but I changed my mind."  
  
"Okay. Just try not to ask anything Akira wouldn't. You're _him,_ remember?"  
  
"I know..."  
  
"If you're curious about something, _I_ could always tell you! I know a lot, after all!"  
  
"Thank you, Mona, but that's alright. Let's just focus on getting through school today..."  
  
~~~  
 **  
BEEP! BEEP! BEEEEP! BEEEEP! BEEEEEEEEEEP!**  
  
The calm scenery of the Velvet Room and Justine's soft voice were ripped away with a single screaming noise, his body jolting so harshly that he found himself thudding against the floor. His eyes flashed wide open, heart hammering in time with the screeching that filled the room as he tried to catch his breath, several comforters still entangled around him. They at least helped to contain his shaking as he glanced around in a panic, taking in the sight of Makoto's room for a good minute before he began to relax. He could swear Buchimaru was laughing at him from his position on the wall. Eyebrows furrowing, he shot a glare at the grinning mascot.  
  
"You look just as stupid, you know...They stopped making merch for a reason."  
  
He regretted speaking instantly, glancing away from the poster and trying to untangle himself from the blankets as a hint of guilt wormed through his conscience. He had insulted the beloved Buchi-kun, in Makoto's room, _in her body._  
  
Was there a greater betrayal to her trust than that?  
  
Finally free to stand, he trudged over to the alarm clock on the nightstand, wincing as it continued to assault his hearing. How the hell did he turn this thing off? He'd never needed alarms with Morgana's gentle 'Good Morning' meows, and even the occasional clawings when he'd been stubborn and tried to sleep in weren't this annoying! Unlike his cell phone, there wasn't any sliding option either...why were there so many buttons on this thing?!?  
  
He fumbled with the cursed device, pressing all kinds of buttons, but that didn't stop the screeching. He did somehow manage to change the noise itself and the colour of the numbers on display. Groaning, he finally resorted to shoving the demon under the pillow to muffle it, then yanked the plug out of the outlet.  
  
Success. Blissful silence.  
  
Sighing in relief, he made a vow to figure out how to reset it later, turning to open the closet. As expected, all of her uniform pieces were organized and properly hung, grouped by season for convenience. Well, he definitely felt a bit disappointed in himself now. His own uniform pieces were all chucked in a drawer or stacked on the shelf. To be fair, it wasn't like he actually had a closet, but...he could probably have found some way to hang them.   
_  
Guess I've got a new home improvement project when I get back.  
_  
Laying the outfit out on the bed (well, the thin sheets that were left on it), he returned to the drawer he'd visited last night, only feeling _slightly_ less awkward than he had the first time. He managed to get the bottom half of the outfit on easily enough, but as he started to pull the pajama top off, a very important thing occurred to him. The article of clothing that he'd just yanked over his head to pull off before the shower last night, and hadn't had to deal with when he'd changed for bed.  
 _  
Should I...ask Ann?_  
  
She would probably know best, and she was usually kind enough to give advice. But...no. No, he definitely didn't have the nerve to text her about something that personal.   
  
Well...when you didn't have friends to rely on, there was always the internet...  
  
All in all, once the how-to article actually wrote it out for him step-by-step, putting on a bra wasn't nearly as complicated as he'd made it out to be, even if having to reach around behind him like that to try and hook the clasp was a little awkward. From there, he slipped the rest of his uniform on, doing a quick spin in front of the mirror to make sure he'd gotten everything on correctly.   
 _  
Yeah, there we go. Very professional. Just like an honor student._  
  
Okay. Maybe _one more spin_ so he could twirl the skirt again, because that was kind of fun. Now he understood why princesses were always twirling.  
  
 _No, not a princess. A Queen.  
  
_ Straightening up to full height, he cleared his throat and spoke towards the reflection, putting on the most regal voice he could improvise. "Today, I will defend your honor and your title. I will uphold all of your values, and ensure your reputation is not sullied. You have my vow~" He finished it off with a little bow, smirking in amusement. Right, enough fooling around. He needed to make sure he was at school on time, after all. Knowing her, probably when the gate first opened.  
  
As he started walking towards the living room, he turned to glance back at the poster on the wall. "I'm counting on you to watch the place while I'm gone. Don't let me dow-I mean, _her_ down." Buchimaru did not respond, but he liked to think that was a smile of agreement.  
  
 _One day, and I'm already relying on a poster for a companion. We'd better get that list completed ASAP.  
  
_ Shaking his head, he cut right through the living room and into the kitchen. He'd eat first, then finish prepping in the bathroom before he had to leave. When he opened the fridge, everything he'd put away last night was still exactly where he'd left it. Good, so Sae still hadn't come back yet. Working into the day was rough for her, sure, but the last thing he wanted was to run into her unprepared.   
  
 _I'll ask Makoto for some more info about her once I get to school, just in case.  
  
_ Maybe he could learn about Makoto herself too...  
  
Humming softly, he pulled out a smaller container of leftovers to heat up for breakfast, soon spotting a different stack on another shelf. Right, those must be the week of school lunches that Makoto had said she'd fixed in advance.   
  
 _Is there anything she isn't prepared for? Seriously...  
_  
He'd thought he did well enough keeping track of all the supplies and other favours they needed for Metaverse missions, but she really seemed to be on the ball.  _  
  
I guess she has to be though, if Sae's the only other person around. At least I've got a few of our confidants that don't mind helping out with certain things...she doesn't have anyone..._  
  
Shaking his head slightly, he shut the fridge and headed over to the microwave.  
  
~~~  
  
Stepping out of the apartment was definitely surreal. For one thing, he wasn't entirely sure where to go. He'd just ambled along looking at the door numbers last night instead of paying attention to how exactly the floor was laid out, and now all he could see were hallways lined with the same deep blue carpet. As he walked along, he couldn't help feeling like he was wandering a Palace, hesitating near corners and keeping a sharp eye out for anyone else.  
  
There didn't seem to be many people here though. He kept expecting to run into other tenants, but he managed to make it to the elevator without running into a single person.   
  
 _I guess they all either left before me or haven't come out yet. The people with jobs probably head out pretty early to beat the school traffic.  
  
_ It was almost eerie though. Nothing but the soft sounds of his own footsteps or breathing, the hum of the elevator sliding down...it almost made him feel like he was intruding on something. He wasn't a particularly loud person, but this was just...he felt like if he breathed a word, he would be shattering a silence that wasn't supposed to be broken.   
  
There was no clattering of dishes or muttering from a tv, no chatter from different people floating up through the floor. The air was clean, clear and a little chilly, and the only scent he could make out was the hint of lemon from cleaning supplies as he stepped into the lobby. The concierge was wiping down his desk, polishing it to a shine.   
  
"Good morning, Miss Niijima."  
  
"Good morning, Mr. Yamada." He made sure to enunciate this time, forcing his voice to be a bit louder than his usual murmur. A slight bow, and then he was walking again, heading towards the doors.   
  
Mr. Yamada called out again, moving to wipe down the silver bell on his desk corner. "You seem to be feeling better today. Off to school, are you?"  
  
"Yes, I am." he added, giving the man a nod. Wait, that probably wasn't enough...what would _she_ say? Pausing in his footsteps, he turned to make proper conversation, tugging at the strap on his bag as he did so. "Thank you for your concern, sir. I'm, er, feeling quite refreshed this morning. I believe I just needed some rest."  
  
"Yes, you always seem incredibly busy. I suppose it's no wonder you found yourself run down! You and your sister are both such hard workers, it makes me tired just looking at you!" Mr. Yamada chuckled. "Then again, in today's world, only the early birds get the worm, as they say! I won't hold you up. Keep up those studies today, and I'm sure you'll make quite the name for yourself when you reach adulthood! You'll have a much more prestigious career than mine." the man added, smiling.  
  
"Hey, your job seems important though. I doubt this building would run without you, right?" He hadn't meant to pick the conversation back up again, but he didn't feel comfortable leaving it the way it had ended either. Maybe it had been the extra praise (even if it was nice to hear that Makoto was doing well, the fact that it came from the idea of working herself to the bone wasn't very appealing), or maybe it was just hearing Mr. Yamada belittle his role. Service jobs weren't easy, he'd learned that much working with Sojiro in the café and with the chores he'd done in Untouchable's storeroom for Iwai. Just because they weren't at the top didn't mean they weren't respectable career choices.  
  
"Ah, that's very sweet, Miss Niijima, but all I really do are the slight odds-and-ends around here. You should aim much higher. Now, I believe the train will be running soon." And with that, he returned to his cleaning, moving to organize some papers on his desk.  
  
 _Shit, the train!  
_  
He hurried out the door, slightly relieved to find the area outside seemed to have more signs of life. Bustling people on most of the sidewalks and cars moving through the streets...he could see why the quiet of the apartment building would be calming, but this was definitely what mornings should sound like.   
  
Although, the crowd did have its drawbacks...  
  
It was hard enough to follow the directions Makoto had written on her phone to help him get to the train station from this new area, but on top of that he kept having to take detours to dodge people before he was knocked down or pushed into the street! Every time he glanced up from the screen, he was about to collide with somebody, and most of these adults showed no intention of stopping even when they bumped against his shoulders. _  
  
I know it's the morning rush, but come on! What happened to chivalry? Don't knock a girl to the ground!  
  
_ By the time he'd managed to make it to the station, he was nearly panting. Once he was standing on the train, he took a moment to breathe, smoothing out his skirt and brushing through his hair with his fingers until he looked less ruffled. Ugh, he'd take the calm streets of Yongen over that chaos any day...  
  
 _Focus. You've got a big day ahead._  
  
~~~  
  
"Hey, what's he doing here so early?"  
  
"I dunno...you think he's planning something?"  
  
"I don't like this...It's just us and him..."  
  
"Well, we sit near the door, so if he pulls anything, we can run."  
  
 _Honestly, I'm just sitting here!_  
  
She hadn't done anything except walk in and sit down in the seat Akira had told her to, and already the two girls on the other side of the room were hissing back and forth, as if she couldn't hear every word. She'd heard the others mention the rumors, of course, and she'd heard a few muttered in the halls before she'd even spoken to the group, but...she hadn't expected it to be _this_ out of hand. She made sure not to look at them (no matter how tempting shooting them a stern glare was), and instead focused on unzipping the bag in her lap, hunching over it to shield Morgana while he slipped into the desk. Once he was safely tucked inside, she reached back into the bag for a pen, gritting her teeth at the quick gasp and murmur from the pair across the room.   
  
 _If you're truly expecting him to pull out a weapon, I could easily make this pen into one...  
  
_ "Morning girls...Oh. You're here early..." She glanced up to see Miss Kawakami had paused on the way to her desk at the front of the room, regarding her with a raised eyebrow.   
  
"See? I told you to wait in the hall!" Morgana hissed smugly. She reached one hand into her desk to cup his muzzle, keeping her gaze on the teacher. She'd already told him she would have looked even more suspicious loitering in the hallways.  
  
Kawakami sighed, dropping her purse onto the desk and reaching for a folder. "Well, if you're here, the least you could do is help me out. Erase that board back there, I'm sick of looking at it. I'm gonna go make some copies..." Covering her mouth to try and trap a yawn, she made her way back out the door and into the hall, her shoes clicking along the tile for several steps until the sound faded away.  
  
"She left her purse right there on the desk...that doesn't seem very safe."  
  
"Well, he wouldn't do anything with witnesses right here, would he?"  
  
Her chair slid a bit more loudly along the floor than she'd meant for it to as she rose from her seat, striding over to the back of the room, but she couldn't help smirking when the squeak caused the two gossips to flinch. Reaching over to grab the eraser, she was greeted with the sight of a certain face taking up the majority of the dusty space, simple sparkle doodles taking up the rest of the area surrounding it. A vein in her forehead seemed to throb, and she inhaled slowly, then exhaled under her breath.   
 _  
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised...  
_  
Gripping the eraser more tightly, she began wiping in jagged zig-zags, taking her sweet time turning once-solid white marks into nothing. Sure, meticulously moving from side-to-side would have been much neater and more efficient, but something about watching Akechi's face get mutilated and scrubbed from existence was certainly satisfying.  
  
"Wow, you're here pretty early! Usually I'm stuck here waiting on you."  
  
Setting the eraser back down, she turned to find the first pleasant face she'd seen since setting foot inside Shujin. Although, there was something else hidden behind Ann's friendly smile as the blonde took her seat.   
  
_Alright, I get the hint. Akira can't come early.  
_  
With her task complete, she settled down behind Ann, pulling out Akira's phone. With so few people in the room, there was no way they could converse about certain topics verbally, even if they whispered.   
  
 **[AKIRA]** I must admit, I'm grateful you're here. All of their muttering is beginning to get to me...  
  
 **[ANN]** Yeah, those girls suck tbh. They've been nicer 2 me since the Kamoshida thing, but they still believe rumours about everyone else they hear!  
  
 **[ANN]** It drives me totally crazy! >:c  
  
 **[AKIRA]** Incredibly hypocritical. I believe I'll be having a word with them once this situation has been rectified.   
  
 **[ANN]** Okay, but for now, don't do anything! Remember, ur Akira! Just be chill.  
 **  
[AKIRA]** Don't worry, I'm well aware of what is at stake. Morgana has been guiding me, so I shouldn't arouse much suspicion.  
  
"Have no fear, Lady Ann! I'll make sure she doesn't step out of line!" Morgana meowed suddenly, thumping his tail inside the desk. Ann flinched at the same time she did, and she reached into the desk again, heart pounding as she glanced around. Thankfully, no one else seemed to have heard the noise, or if they had, they hadn't traced it back to this corner of the room.  
  
"Shhh!" _You're the one stepping out of the line, you loud-mouthed furball!_ Once she was sure Morgana had been silenced, she picked the phone up again, this time pulling up a different chat.   
  
 **[AKIRA]** Have you made it to class safely? You didn't get lost, did you?  
 **  
[AKIRA]** What is our plan once school ends? I assume we'll be having a meeting to discuss whatever method you were looking into?  
  
She waited for a few minutes, fingers tapping along the edge of the desk as she kept watch for any incoming dots to signify a response was on its way. But there was nothing. Oh goodness, he couldn't have gotten into trouble within _the first few minutes_ of school, had he? Surely he couldn't have done anything that strange! What if he hadn't made it to school at all? She'd sent him directions, but perhaps they weren't detailed enough! He could have ended up at the wrong stop. Or maybe he hadn't even made it out of the apartment! What if Sis had come home after all, and she'd somehow seen through his act? Yes, it was irrational to even believe in that possibility, but what part of this scenario was rational in the first place!?!   
 **  
[AKIRA]** Hello? Are you alright? ** _  
  
_[AKIRA]** Please pick up, say something! Anything!  
  
She'd been biting her lip, almost ready to stand up and start scouting the hallways for him, but then the blessed dots finally appeared on the screen.   
  
 **[MAKOTO]** Please stop texting and focus. We're in class.  
  
A moment of silence. One where she was torn between the relief that he'd responded, and the indignation of having her worry entirely dismissed. Before she could send anything back, a new message came through.  
  
 **[MAKOTO]** Frustrating when you're on the other end of that, isn't it?   
  
 **[MAKOTO]** I've never seen you send that many texts during school hours before. Feel freer now that you aren't The Honor Student?  
 **  
[AKIRA]** Hey, I'm still not condoning that sort of behavior! I was simply worried!  
 **  
[AKIRA]** Please answer my questions before we get caught. Students are starting to fill the room here, and I'm sure your lesson is about to begin.  
  
 **[MAKOTO]** I'm fine. We'll meet up and head straight to Mementos. I'll explain the rest then.  
 **  
[MAKOTO]** Gotta go. You're right, he's starting.  
  
Not too long after she'd read that, the clicking of heels signaled Kawakami's return, and she hurried to shove her phone back into her pants pocket while the woman tried to get the others to quiet down. Right. Surely Akira had found something out, if he had things to explain. That was good. It was a step in the right direction. She only needed to maintain this masquerade for the school day, and then they could go down to Mementos and get things sorted out.  
  
"Hey, was that him texting you? What did he say? You didn't let me read it!" Cringing at the insistent meows from her desk, she waited until Kawakami was busy writing on the board, then ducked down to whisper.   
  
"We're meeting after school, and he'll tell us what he's found out. Now hush!" Sitting back up, she reached for her pen, although her attention soon wandered from the notes on the board. It was probably dangerous to get her hopes up too high when Akira hadn't actually _said_ whether he'd figured things out, but it was difficult not to think about it. The prospect of spending too long like this was both unappealing and dangerous for their future missions, and she needed something to motivate her. Not that Akira's future hanging in the balance of making a single mistake wasn't _already_ motivation (or simply a threat) enough to do her best today, but something a little less stressful would help encourage her.  
 _  
I just hope he's putting as much focus into maintaining his act as he is solving this..._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you in advance to anyone who leaves a kudos or a comment! <3
> 
> If you'd like to follow me on tumblr, my url is ursine-enchantment!


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